Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved
by JA Baker
Summary: The Initiative become obsessed with Xander, testing his friendship with Buffy to braking point when he decides to deal with it like any Spartan would… Buffy-Halo-West Wing
1. Do you want to be a hero?

_Ok, this story takes place during season 4, before Buffy was recruited into the Initiative._

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 1: Do you want to be a hero?**

"Who the hell our these guys?" Xander dived for cover behind a tree as taser blasts shot through the air. He rolled, allowing his armour to take the force of his landing and got back to his feet, assault rifle at the ready.

"Unknown: I thought until now that they where friendly." Cortana changed the marking on the motion tracker from blue to red, "But they are most defiantly human…"

"And that means I can't kill them." Xander risked a glace round the tree, and narrowly missed a tranquilliser dart, "It look's like they're playing by the same rules, for now."

"I agree, but it look's like they're trying to corral us towards the collage campus." Cortana extended the range of the motion tracker; "I strongly suggest that we find a way out of here."

"Easier said than done." Xander slung his rifle over his shoulder and drew his side arm. He pointed it around the tree, and activated the sight linked to his HUD, "I'll need your help on this."

"I see what you're planning." Cortana sounded please, "Fire!"

The pistol barked once, and a black-clad solider dropped a taser as the bullet smashed the weapon's power cell, ruining it without harming anyone.

Xander took advantage of the brake in the enemy line and ran as fast as he could into the night.

* * *

"That was, embracing." Dr Maggie Walsh stood in front of her assembled agents, "Our two best capture teams, and you failed to apprehend a solitary target." She glared at the young men, "Any of you have anything to say?" 

No one said anything.

"Please, someone at least tell me we've gotten somewhere with our research?" Walsh closed her eyes.

"I think so." Riley Finn stood, "As you know, the subject's armour and weaponry appear to be based on those fond in the videogame '_Halo_'." He walked to the round of the room and called up a 3D image on the main screen, "The central character, the Master Chief, is a cyborg known as a Spartan-II: He has enhances reflexes, speed and strength, surpassing anything a normal human can ever hope to achieve."

"And they have access to 25th century technology." Walsh pointed out, "Technology that could be advantageous to our work…"

"Couldn't we just talk to the guy?" Tone of the agents asked.

"Excuse me?" Walsh seemed surprised by the suggestion.

"Just ask the guy to let us have a look at his gear."

"It's a little out of the box, but I could see it working. Mr Finn, you've done more research on this than anyone: you're up."

* * *

"I'm picking up a increes in chatter on the police frequencies." Cortana reported as Xander made his way back through the alleyways and back streets, "There's been a major road accident not far from here: several people are reported trapped." 

"Another quite night on the Hellmouth." Xander muttered, changing directions as a nav-point appeared on his HUD, "And to think I let you talk me into this."

"It's in my programming to help people." The A.I explained as they rounded the last corner, "And no good deed goes un-rewarded."

The scene that greeted them looked like it belonged in Dante's Inferno: two car's had collided, slamming into a third one that had been parked on the side of the road. The gas talk on the third car had ruptured, and a stray spark had ignited the spilt fuel, turning the wreck into a flaming hell.

"There's someone still trapped in that car!" A bystander called out, unable to get any close because of the heat.

"This is crazy, you know?" Cortana pointed out, realising what was about to happen.

"Feel free to upload yourself into the Internet again." Xander smile, slipping his rifle over his shoulder.

"Fortunately for both of us, I like crazy." Cortana chuckled as Xander started running towards the car wreck. He vaulted over one car and landing in the middle of the wreckage.

The heat from the flames was intense, but Xander ignored it as he assessed the situation: a young woman was trapped in the back of one of the cars, apparently unconscious, but still breathing.

Barely.

Ignoring the flames that played against his shields, and the still rising temperature that threatened to cook him like a TV dinner, Xander gripped the door and pulled with all his strength. The enhanced strength granted to him by the Spartan program, aided by his _Mjolnir-II_ battle armour, easily ripped the door away from the car and tossed it into the night.

"I suggest we hurry." Cortana sounded worried, "I predict that we have seconds until the fuel tanks on the other two cars detonate."

"Not a problem." Xander pulled the injured woman from the car and held her close to his body as he turned his back on the flame.

One of the gas tanks exploded, showering the area in flame and incinerating the car Xander had just rescued the woman from. The shock wave almost knocked him to the ground, but he steadied himself and started to run towards the flames.

Bending his legs and pushing down with all his might, Xander took to the air, sailing clear over the fire, landing on the other side with enough force to leave a deep impression on the tarmac road.

"That was too close!" Cortana protested as Xander lay the unconscious down, "We'd better get out of here before the police turn up."

"I hear that." Xander turned and ran into the night, not seeing the man with the camera that had caught everything on film.

**To Be Continued…**


	2. Secrets, lies and videotape

_Rachel: go read my profile before you start nit-picking my spelling.  
__Crash Slayer: three different story's, not different chapters of the same story.  
__Lalala: yeah, chill will you. Updates happen when they happen…_

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 2: Secrets, lies and videotape**

"Congratulations, hero." Buffy dumped the morning paper onto Xander's bed, waking him, "I thought we agreed to keep this a secret?"

"What?" Xander asked, bleary eyed. He wondered for a moment how she'd gotten in, then remembered that he'd told Cortana to grant any of the Scooby's entry as long as they still had a heartbeat, "What are you talking about?"

"Your face is splashed all across the local paper. Or is someone else running around in a suit of Spartan Armour that I know nothing about?"

"What the hell?" Xander scanned the newspaper: the photo on the front page was blurred, but he recognised the outline of his _Mjolnir-II_ battle armour readily enough.

"Care to explain?" Buffy stood, arms crossed, toes tapping the floor.

"Can I get dressed first?" Xander asked, grabbing a shirt from the floor, "Cortana, can you put some coffee on please?"

* * *

"So?" Buffy asked as she sat across the living room from Xander, playing with one of the many projects Cortana was working on, "Explanations?"

"Someone at the accident had a camera and I didn't spot them." Xander shrugged, "It'll be put down to a hoax or the old 'gang members on PCP' story. You know what this town like."

"Xander, someone saw you in your armour: if anyone starts asking questions, it'll be difficult to explain where you got it from."

"I have to agree." Cortana looked down from the wall mounted wide-screen TV, "It is a definite breach of security that has to be corrected."

"Like how?" Buffy asked the A.I.

"I can easily brake into the newspapers computer network and erase any electronic copies of the photo's, but printed ones are a different matter." Cortana looked at Buffy and Xander, "One of you will have to brake into the offices and remove or destroy and hard copies."

"I'll do it." Buffy stood, "I've got more experience with this sort of thing."

"We'll go in tonight." Cortana nodded, "I'll over ride the security systems to make it easier for you."

* * *

Xander crept through the night, feeling out of sorts without Cortana's near constant commentary on what he was doing and what was happening around them. He felt kind of lonely, having gotten used to having her around. He wasn't one to trust easy after all he'd been through, but he trusted Cortana as much as he trusted anyone.

A solitary red blip appeared on his HUD.

* * *

Cortana drifted through cyberspace like a dolphin through water, immersing herself in the sea of information. She had already used her infiltration programs to play the stock market and keep Xander's bank balance healthy, as well as work on a few projects of her own that she hoped would help the two of them.

The firewall on the _Sunnydale Gazettes_ computers offered no resistance to her what so ever, and she slipped into the system like a ghost, sifting through files until she found the security subroutines and started to switch them off.

Activity on the edge of the system caught her attention, and she detected a tap on the system originating outside the newspapers network. She turned to investigate, and felt the tingle of someone trying to hack into her programming.

* * *

Xander slowly approached the clearing the single blip appeared to be standing in. He checked his map, and found that it lay on his regular patrol route: Giles having suggested that Buffy and Xander split the town in two so that they could cover twice the area at once.

Slipping his rifle over one shoulder, Xander drew his pistol and slowly advanced.

* * *

Cortana repelled the attack with next to no effort, and then turned her full attention to finding out who was reasonable. Firewalls and lockouts fell before her as she backtracked the signal, tearing through the Internet like a guided missile, more than a little angry that someone had tried to hurt her directly.

The last code withstood her assault for a full second before Cortana cracked it like an egg, gaining full and unrestricted access to what lay beyond. She scanned files as fast as she could, assimilating every last piece of information and quickly analysing it.

Her eyes widened when she reached the last file.

* * *

"I was hoping to run into you." Riley smiled slightly when Xander came into view, wishing he were dressed in something a little more protective than black BDU's, "We need to talk."

"So, talk." Xander cut in a program that disguised his voice, recognising the man standing before him, but unable to place his face.

"Ok, well, do you have a name?"

"You can call me Master Chief."

"The Master Chief is a character in a video game. Who are you really?"

"Someone fate likes playing games with."

"Are you going to give me any straight answers?"

"Hey, you're the one who was shooting at me last night!" Xander raised his gun, "I owe you nothing."

"I'm sorry you feel that way." Riley sighed.

* * *

Buffy jumped as her phone rang just as she was about to slip into the offices of the _Sunnydale Gazette._

"Hello?" She answered, not recognising the number.

"Buffy, It's a trap!" Cortana shouted at her down the line, "Get the hell out of there!"

* * *

Xander felt the rocket slam into his back, knocking him forward as his shields dropped by half. He hit the ground hard, his head cracking against the inside of his helmet, stunning him.

* * *

Buffy hit the chain link fence near the top and vaulted over the coiled raiser wire, landing on the other side like a cat and taking off into the darkness.

"Who ever these guys are, they're really starting to piss me off!" she snapped into her phone.

"That's not the worst of it." Cortana sounded genuinely worried, "They're after Xander…"

* * *

"Hold him still!" Riley ordered as two initiative agents clawed at the restraints holding Xander's helmet on. They managed to pull it open enough to jab a needle full of anaesthetic into his neck.

Xander stopped struggling as his personal view of the world dimmed.

**To Be Continued…**


	3. He who increases knowledge…

_Rachel: no matter how many times I explain this, there's always someone who doesn't get it: I honestly can't tell the difference between two words that look and sound the same but mean different things. I never have, and probably never will.  
__Crash: The idea? I have a very twisted sense of humour…  
__Laharl140: thank you.  
__Rankokun: oh hell yeah!  
__Buffyrules: I'll check it out._

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 3: He who increases knowledge…**

Xander woke, his mouth feeling like a camel had taken a dump in it. He opened his eyes, and was grateful that the light was dim.

"I'm glad to see your back with us." An electronically distorted voice came from somewhere, "We didn't know how much it would take to knock you out, so we used more than normal."

"Who are you?"

"I am the person who decides what happens to you next, Mr Harris. Yes, we know who you are: we ran your fingerprints. I must admit, I'm suspired we didn't flag your file earlier."

"What do you want?"

"Your armour: where did you get it from?"

"I found it."

"You expect me t believe that? We ran a few tests while you were asleep: we know that your body has been surgically modified to increase your strength, speed and stamina. We know that you need these enhancements to survive inside the armour."

"Pity: I was hoping I could convince you to try it on for size."

"I may not be willing to try it on, but I am going to take it apart and see how it works."

"And I can stop you?"

"No, but the failsafe on the power cell will: if it's not deactivated, it will level the town."

"You got to love fusion!"

"I'll ask you one last time: where did you get the armour?"

"I got it from a costume shop at Halloween a few years back. A chaos mage named Ethan Rayne cast a spell that turned everyone into his or her costume, so I ended up as the Master Chief. Spell ended, everyone went back to normal. Well, apart from me."

"You expect me to believe in magic?"

"What you believe is immaterial: it's the truth." Xander tried to move, but found thick metal chains held him down. He strained against them, using all the increased strength his argumentations gave him, but the chains held.

"That is quarter-inch thick tempered steal, more than enough to hold even you." The voice chuckled, "Now let's start again…"

* * *

"Still no contact with Xander." Cortana looked don from the TV screen, "And I'm not picking up a locator signal from his suite, either."

"Ok, so this is bad." Buffy was pacing backwards and forwards across her friends living room, "Any idea who's taken him?"

"They call themselves 'The Initiative', and they appear to be a ultra-secret government agency set up to investigate and study demons and other supernatural activity around Sunnydale. They have almost unlimited recourses and clearance two levels above Presidential."

"There's no such thing as 'above' Presidential!"

"You think you real elect who runs this country?"

"You saying I don't?"

"We're getting g a little off-track here: The Initiative wanted to study Xander's _Mjolnir _Armor, and I don't think they were going to ask nicely."

"You think they killed him?"

"Negative: he's the only person on the planet who's capable of surviving in his armour, and the only person other than myself who knows how to deactivate the failsafe system."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Yes." Cortana nodded, "But you can't just burst in there and brake him out."

"I know: that's why you're going to help me…"

* * *

"I don't understand why you are still uncooperative." The voice woke Xander from a deep sleep, making him jump up, his chain stopping his assent and slamming him back down onto the hard metal floor.

"What do you want now?" He asked, rubbing his bruises as best he could.

"Where is the A.I?"

"What A.I?"

"The one called Cortana: I have done a little research into the armor, and I know that it was developed to be compatible with an advanced Artificial Intelligence entirety. I also know that the AI is inserted into your suit by placing a computer chip in a slot in the back of your helmet…"

"You shouldn't believe everything you read." Xander laughed, "Sorry to tell you this, but all I got was the suit and the guns, nothing else."

"I see."

* * *

"Ok, I'm in position." Buffy crouched behind a low wall, looking at the house Cortana insisted was the entrance to the government base. She'd grabbed Xander's mobile phone from his apartment, and was using the hands-free kit to keep in touch with Cortana, "Go ahead and cut the power."

"Cutting power." Cortana roamed the endless sea of information known as the Internet, pulling up the county services system for Sunnydale and accessing the power grid. A simple command cut power for the appropriate block, sending the area into darkness, "I've accessed the military Global Positioning System so I can guide you Xander."

"Ok, just tell me where to go."

Dr Walsh looked round as the lights in her office died, only to be replaced moments later by the backups powered by the bases own generator. She instinctively reached for the phone, "What happened?"

"Power cut." The tech on the other end reported, "Seems to have taken out the entire block. Back up generators running normally."

"Very good. Have patrols doubled: I don't want to risk any escapes. And double the guard on subject 117: he's dangerous."

"Yes sir."

* * *

Buffy ran across the lawn to the house like a ghost, hidden in the shadows. She found an open window and climbed through, scanning the room for anyone or anything hostile.

Nothing.

"Ok, I'm in." She whispered into the microphone at her throat.

"Go out the door and turn left till you reach a closet." Cortana pulled up the architects plans for the building, "There's a false door in the back that leads to an elevator."

"Got it." Buffy slid along the hallway like a cat, stopping dead when she heard footsteps. She crouched low, and sprung out as a man dressed in black combats stepped out of the closet Cortana had identified. She tackled him around the waist, throwing him to the ground before knocking him out with a right hook to the side of the head.

Lifting him by the armpits, she dragged him back into the closet and closed the door.

* * *

Xander could sense the unease that had followed the main lights failing. He opened his eyes a fraction and looked up at the camera in the corner of his cell: the red light was out.

Slowly, so as not to give the came away to anyone who might be watching though the one-way mirror, he tested the links of the chain holding him down, looking for the weak links.

Finally finding the ones he needed, he pulled at them with all his strength, and was please to see them give, allowing him to carefully slip the next link out, freeing him from the floor.

He rolled over onto his stomach, pretending to move in his sleep, and carefully looked at the glass screen: with the lights in his cell dead, he could just about see the outline of two guards on the other side, standing close to each other.

Tensing the muscles in his arms and legs, he got ready to make his move.

**To Be Continued…**


	4. Warpath

_Rachel: can't help but feel there has been a breakdown in communications somewhere and that this isn't the way to discus how my dyslexia affects me. You don't want to read by work, that's up to you: no one is forcing you to read or review anything. If you would like to try and discuses things further without resorting to trading insults, let me know what your Email address is and I'll try and explain things again._

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 4: Warpath**

Xander hit the glass screen with all the strength he could muster: it exploded outwards, showering the two solders on the other with glass. Xander landed on his feet, ignoring the pain of the glass shards cutting into his unprotected flesh.

One of the guards recovered his wits and went to draw his side arm, and Xander reacted as any Spartan would: pivoting on his left foot, he span round, his right leg flying up to connect with the solders solar-plexus.

The guard collapsed to the floor with a grunt, the air driven from his lungs.

Regaining his footing, Xander lifted the second guard up off the floor by the front of his uniform and punched him in the face with enough force to knock the dazed man out could.

Grabbing their side arms, Xander turned and made his way down the dimly lit corridors in search of his armour.

* * *

Buffy snuck down a hallway holding a stun-gun she'd taken from a guard who had tried to stop her when she exited the elevator. The way ahead looked clear, but she couldn't sure because of all the side passages and office doors. Running from cover to cover, Buffy started to make her way towards what Cortana said was most likely the holding area.

Voice coming from a corridor just ahead forced Buffy to duck into a darkened room. She pulled her flashlight out and looked around: it appeared to be some sort of lab, and she recognised what lay on the main table.

"I've found Xander's armor." She told Cortana over the phone, "Look's like they were getting ready to take it apart."

"Are there any signs that it's been tampered with?" The AI asked, "Any obvious damage?"

"No, it looks intact."

"Ok, put it on."

"What? No way: Xander told me what that could do to someone!"

"To a regular human, yes, but you're the Slayer: you should be able to use it without a problem."

"And if there is a problem, I end up an invertebrate!"

"Look, the chances are you're not going to have a chance to get back in here and suit Xander up after you've rescued him, so the only way to get both him and the armor back is for you to ware it."

"I so don't like this plan…" Buffy protested as she started to strip.

* * *

"Hello Solider-boy." Xander pressed one of his confiscated guns against the back of Riley's head, "Congratulations: you're my ticket out of here."

"Dr. Walsh is never going to let you go." The young government agent protested, "You're too important to her..."

"Then I suggest you start praying that she holds you of more importance: I have the full memories of someone who was trained as a Special Forces operative since the age of six, as well as the complete ORION program upgrades for my body. I could cripple you in seconds, but leave your mind intact. You what me to show you how?"

"N-no."

"Then where is the exit?"

"Down there, two levels up." Riley pointed down the corridor, "But it'll be guarded."

"I don't like killing, but I like you guys even less, so anyone who try's to stop me will come off worse." Xander hit him on the back of the head with the barrel of the gun, "Move it grunt."

* * *

"Ok, I've got the helmet on." Buffy reported, "How do I turn this thing on?"

"I think it would be better if I did that." Cortana suggested, "Open up the panel on the left for-arm and plug the phone into the universal adapter there."

"Ok." Buffy did as she was instructed, and there was a bleep followed by a sense of vertigo, "Cortana?"

"I'm right here." The AI's voice came from inside the helmet, "We won't be able to use all the suits futures as you lack the cybernetic upgrade's needed, but you should be able to use the shields and motion tracker."

There was a buzzing sound, and Buffy felt her teeth tingle as the _Mjolnir_ armor's energy shields powered up around her.

"That's better." Cortana sounded confident, "I've set suit to its lowest sensitivity, but you should still be careful when you try and move. If it looks like you can't cope, I'll cut the power instantly."

"Gee, I feel so much better…" Buffy shifted her arm slightly, and it shot up to a right angle to her body, "Wow, cool!"

"Yes, but remember: this suit was developed to be used by someone with a tougher physical body than you." Cortana warned, "You may be able move around, but don't try anything to advanced just yet…"

"Check this out!" Buffy cartwheeled across the room, the armor leaving inch deep immersions in the concrete floor, "You know, a girl could get used to this!"

"Hey, don't get too comfortable: this is Xander's suit, remember?"

"What about you? Who do you belong to?"

"Technically I am the property of the Office of Naval Intelligence, United Nations Space Command. But as neither agencies exist, I'm kind of a free agent."

"Yet you've stuck around to help Xander."

"I have my reasons." Cortana sounded annoyed, "Now lets go rescue our boy."

* * *

"Next time you want to take a hostage, you might want pick someone more important that Mr Flynn there." Dr Walsh tilted her head to the side as she approached the standoff between Xander and a dozen Initiative agents, "It would be unfortunate if you killed him, but he's not irreplaceable."

"Nice to know your place, huh, Solider-boy?" Xander smiled, "I'm leaving, and I don't recommend you try and stop me."

"Mr Harris, the only chance you have of leaving this place alive is to help us take apart your armor and find a way to recreate it in a way that won't kill anyone who try's to use it." Walsh sighs, "Anything else is just wishful thinking on your part."

"_Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish for tonight_." An electronically distorted voice came from behind Walsh, and she felt the barrel of a MA5B assault rifle prod her in the back, "You going to let my friend there go?"

"Who the hell?" Walsh slowly turned round and found herself face-to-face with a Spartan, "How the…"

"Abracadabra, bitch!" Buffy pushed the guns barrel up the other woman's nose, "Go ahead; make my day!"

**To Be Continued…**


	5. See how they run…

_I would like to publicly thank Crazy Danae for volunteering to proofread this story._

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 4: See how they run…**

Walsh made a faint gargling noise as she fixed her eyes on the gun Buffy had trained up her right nostril: she knew from the briefing Riley had given her that the gun could hold 50-rounds of armor-piercing ammunition, but Xander tended to load it with tracers to deal with Vampires.

"Well, do you feel lucky, punk?" Buffy asked, enjoying turning the tables on her collage tutor in a way that couldn't possibly lead back to her.

"Sorry guys, but it looks like I'm checking out." Xander smiled at the other Initiative agents as he slowly made his way to the elevator, pulling Riley with him, keeping his human shield between himself and the guns pointed at him. "Hope you understand if I don't leave a tip."

"Less quipping, more walking," Buffy insisted, moving her head to the side to check the elevator was clear.

Walsh took the opportunity to dive for cover, "SHOOT THEM!" She bellowed out the order as she hit the ground hard.

Buffy reacted before anyone else could: her Slayer-reflexes, enhanced even further by the _Mjolnir_ armor she wore, enabled her to get between the Initiative agents and Riley as Xander pulled the other man into the elevator. The hail of gunfire ricocheted of the armor's energy shield, making it glow brightly. Buffy saw the warning light on her HUD start to blink as the shield started to lose power.

"Be careful with that, would you!" Xander protested, hitting a button to go to the surface, "I'm still trying to work out how to fix it if it gets broken."

"And here's me thinking he missed us." Cortana mocked from the suits external speaker, "It's good to see you to, caveman."

"I'll deal with you later." Xander smiled, "But right now we need to get out of here."

"Relax. I have complete control of this instillation and its systems." The AI reported as the elevator started to move, "Going up."

"What the hell is going on?" Riley asked, looking at Xander and Buffy, his face reflecting in the armor's gold-tinted faceplate.

"You've got to make a choice, soldier-boy: are you with us or against us?" Xander held up one of the guns he had taken from the guards, "My friend here doesn't like killing if they can avoid it, but they lack the memories of someone who was trained as a solider from the age of six. I, on the other hand may not like killing, but I would put a bullet though your brain without a second thought if I needed to." He pulled back the hammer, pointing the weapon at the other man, "Your friends back there were willing to kill you to get to us. You have to ask yourself if you should be loyal to people who'd use you like that."

"What other choice do I have?"

"This place needs to be stopped, and that's going to take the sort of information that only an insider can provide." Xander held the gun out by the barrel, offering it to Riley, "You can make a run for it, or you can come with us. You help as and we'll protect you."

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" Cortana asked.

"What choice do we have?" Buffy asked, her growing attraction to Riley colouring her opinion on the matter somewhat.

"Well?" Xander asked.

"I'll help you." Riley nodded, taking the offered gun.

* * *

The trip back to Xander's place was uneventful: Cortana had been able to lockdown the Initiative long enough for the four of them to get to were Buffy had parked Xander's Warthog. The Slayer had hidden in the back of the ATV while her friend drove home.

"Is it safe to be here?" Riley asked, "Won't they just look up your records to see where you live?"

"Relax, kid." Cortana laughed as she appeared on the main TV screen, "I changed the records ages ago; Alexander Harris lives in a small town in Idaho."

"You can do that?" The former Initiative agent asked.

"Yeah: she's got a lot of tricks up her sleeve." Xander disappeared into his bedroom to get changed, "You can get out of that now, Buffy."

"Do I have to?" The Slayer asked, "I'm kind of getting used to it…"

"NOW!" Cortana insisted, "You don't have the cybernetic enhancements needed to operate all of its functions. And as I said before: it's Xander's."

"Spoilsport," Buffy complained, cracking the seal on the suit's neck and lifting the helmet off. "Ah, fresh air!"

"Summers?" Riley blinked, "How did you…"

"Survive in this without snapping every bone in my body?" Buffy asked.

"Well, yeah."

"I'm a Vampire Slayer. I'm naturally faster and stronger than a regular human. I may not be up to the level of a Spartan, but I can at least walk around in the armor without risking death or serious injury."

"Um, what's a Vampire Slayer?"

"Oh boy. Ok, it goes like this: In each generation, a Slayer is born…"

* * *

"Do you really think we can trust him?" Cortana asked, transferring herself to the portable TV in Xander's bedroom, "I know Buffy likes him, but that's not exactly a glowing reference, given her past…"

"Yeah, I know: Angel." Xander shook is head as he stripped, "But like I said: we need information, and he's the best way to get it. He steps out of line…"

"You know, you sound a lot like John at times."

"I have his memories, his training: its understandable that some of it shows from time to time."

"Yeah, well, be careful in front of Buffy: she's in there flirting with him as we speak."

"Guess I should go put the fear of Harris in him."

* * *

"No way did you blow up your High School!" Riley blinked.

"Yeah: Xander rigged some kind of bomb out of fertilizer and fuel-oil, then set it off with some plastic explosive he'd picked up from a black-market contact." Buffy was grinning like an idiot. "Blowing that place was the single most satisfying thing I've ever done. I got to level the school and save the world at the same time. It was so cool."

"Basic demolition." Xander walked back through the living room and into the adjacent kitchen, grabbing a can of soda from the fridge, "So, Riley, where are you going to stay?"

"Well I can't go back to my room. Dr Walsh would probably have me shot on sight." The former Initiative agent shrugged, "Guess there are a few abandoned houses I could use."

"Bad idea: vampires and all." Buffy shook her head, and then smiled, "Why don't you stay here with Xander?" She ducked just in time to avoid the apple her friend threw at her. "What? You're the one who said we'd keep him safe."

"No, it's ok." Riley held up his hands defensively, "I wouldn't want to intrude…"

"No, it's ok soldier-boy." Xander shrugged, "Buffy's right, but there are a few ground rules. One: you never touch my armor or my weapons, period. Worst comes to worst, you can use the two guns I took from your friends. Two: if Cortana or I tell you to do something, you do it. I spent a very long weekend fitting this place out with hidden cameras and microphones so Cortana can see and hear everything, with the exception of my bedroom and the bathroom, which only have cameras. We have military issue anti-surveillance units scattered around the place, some of which have been customised. You can use the computer to look stuff up on the net, but Cortana has complete control of what comes in or goes out, and she's programmed for covert-ops, so she knows all the tricks."

"Jesus, Xander!" Buffy protested. "Why don't you handcuff him as well while you're at it?"

"The thought has crossed my mind." Cortana smiled down from the TV on the wall.

"Ladies, please." Xander held up his arms to stop the argument before it started. "Now if you don't mind, I've been deprived of sleep for the past 48 hours, so I'm going to go crash. Riley, the sofa pulls out into a reasonably comfortable bed. Buffy; it's late, so feel free to crash here if you want. Night."

**To Be Continued…**


	6. Hell has no fury…

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 6: Hell has no fury…**

Walsh stalked along the corridors, still fuming with embarrassment over the ease with which Xander had been able to escape.

The appearance of the second Spartan was a mystery that had a simply explanation. One of her agents had reported being attacked by a young woman, who was physically faster and stronger than she should have been given her body size. Added to the fact that someone had taken the suit of _Mjolnir_ armor Xander had been wearing when he was captured, and it became clear that he was not the only person out there who had somehow acquired the cybernetic upgrades needed to use it safely.

This revelation was both a blessing and a curse. It meant that they had two possible people to experiment on, but they would be twice as hard to capture working together.

Walsh stopped outside Room 314 and smiled. She had something that would even up the odds a little.

* * *

Xander picked his way carefully through the trees, assault rifle held at the ready. Something was very wrong. He should have run into something by now, but it was like all the vampires and demons had packed up and left town. His eyes kept flicking to the motion tracker on his Heads Up Display, but it remained empty.

"I spy, with my little eye…" Cortana muttered, growing increasingly bored. "This is our third sweep and still nothing."

"Hey, I for one can live with that." Xander snapped back, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. "I've got a really bad feeling about this…"

"You know, I hate it when Spartans say that," Cortana sighed. "It normally means that something is about to…" she stopped as a solitary red blip appeared on the very outside edge of the motion tracker. "B-I-N-G-O!"

"I hate it when this happens." Xander muttered, flicking off the rifle's safety catch. "Call Buffy and tell her what's going on. We may need the back up if Walsh is after a little payback."

"You're presuming that the Slayer isn't doing the horizontal tango with Captain Cornbread."

"That is a very nasty mental image for me to have at a time like this."

"Live with it, human."

"Kiss my cybernetic butt!" Xander snapped back as he passed through the trees and stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh boy…"

* * *

"Hello?" Buffy picked up her mobile and answered it without bothering to check the caller ID.

"_Buffy, it's Cortana_," the voice on the other end replied. "_You'd better get to the high school. Walsh is here and she looks too happy for someone who's facing a heavily armed Spartan_…"

* * *

"Hello, Mr Harris." Professor Walsh smiled as she stood on the steps leading up to the main entrance of what had been Sunnydale High School. "Surprised to see me?"

"Yeah, kind of…" Xander held his rifle in one hand. "What is this… some kind of 'join with me and we can rule the galaxy together' speech? Because it didn't work for Darth Vader, and it's not going to work for you."

"No, this is the 'I'll give you one last chance to surrender before I kill you' speech." Walsh smiled like a shark. "As a Spartan, you are far stronger than a regular human or even a vampire, but there is always something bigger and nastier out there."

"Like?" Xander asked sarcastically.

"Me." The voice came from behind Xander. He instantly checked his HUD, but the motion tracker was clear.

"What the…" Xander spun round to find himself facing a literal Frankenstein monster. He stood the same height as Xander did in his armor, but almost twice as wide at the shoulder. He looked like he'd been made up of parts taken from a human and a collection of demons, as well as the contents of an electronics store. "Hi," Xander smiled behind the mirrored faceplate of his helmet.

* * *

"So what exactly are we dealing with?" Buffy asked her phone as she made her way through the streets towards the old high school. "Cortana?"

"_I'm sorry, but Cortana is too busy to come to the phone right now,_" A voice on the other end replied. "_Please leave a message after the tone._"

"Not good…" Buffy closed the phone and started to run.

* * *

"I am Adam," The patchwork man smiled. "I am here to kill you."

"Yeah… sure… you betcha!" Xander brought his rifle up and around, desperately trying to bring it to bear on the new enemy.

Adam reacted faster. His demon hand swatted the weapon clear, sending it sliding across the car park. His other, human hand grabbed Xander by the throat and lifted him clear off the ground. The energy shield surrounding the armor flared brilliantly as his finger dug into it, attempting to throttle the life out of the struggling Spartan.

Cortana responded by increasing the strength of shield in that area, keeping Xander from suffocating.

Xander responded by kicking out with both legs, catching Adam in the chest with enough force to break his grip, sending the two of them flying in opposite directions. Xander rolled as he landed, letting the inner layer of his battle armor absorb the force of impact.

"He's stronger than you are!" Cortana advised. "You have the Master Chief's memories. Treat him like you would a Hunter."

"Yeah… sure… no problem…" Xander pulled himself to his feet. "You wouldn't happen to have the Jackhammer with you?"

"You don't need a rocket launcher with you to deal with this."

"You have a suggestion?"

"Tactical withdrawal: give him something to think about, and then make a run for it."

"I've got just the thing." Xander pulled his one remaining plasma-grenade from his belt and activated it. "CATCH!"

The glowing blue sphere sailed through the air and stuck fast to Adam's chest. He looked down at it in wonder as Xander started to run, grabbing his rifle from the ground before leaping over a low wall… only a split-second before the grenade detonated.

A bright blue and white flash turned night into day and the ground shook as the plasma was explosively released from its containment field.

Xander slowly lifted his head over the wall, his rifle up and ready. Adam was laying flat on his back; his body burned and chard where the plasma had burned him. Then, with slow, deliberate moves, he started to stand.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Xander protested as he quickly ejected the magazine from his rifle and reloaded it with one filled with armor-piercing rounds. Standing with feet spread apart to steady himself, Xander raised the MA5B Assault Rifle to his shoulder and dropped the targeting radical on his HUD over Adam.

It remained blue, refusing to lock on.

"He must have some kind of Electronic Counter Measure system," Cortana hypothesised. "You'll have to do this manually."

"No shit!" Xander snarled as he pulled the trigger, sending an entire clip of 50 rounds into the monster at 10 yards. The 7.62mm Teflon-coated rounds ripped into Adam's already burned chest, tearing the flesh away to revel a solid metal plate below. "Oh, hell no!"

Xander slung his rifle over his shoulder and drew his M6D HE Pistol with one fluid movement, using both hands to hold the weapon as he linked his HUD to its built-in zoom function. Adam's face grew large in front of Xander's eyes as he pulled the trigger as fast as the weapon would allow, sending a dozen 12.7mm steel-cored rounds into the creatures head at almost point blank range.

Adam's head snapped back sharply with each hit, but he started to advance on the now terrified Spartan.

"You know, discretion is considered to be the better part of valour…" Cortana sounded worried.

"I'm way ahead of you!" Xander turned and started running as fast as he could, easily out distancing the lumbering Adam.

"You can run!" Walsh called out after him. "You can run, but you can't hide!"

**To Be Continued…**


	7. Ace in the hole

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 7: Ace in the hole**

Walsh sat at her desk, thinking: Adam was certainly tough enough to rip Harris limb-from-limb, but he was too slow to catch him if he had a chance to get a head start. What was needed was something faster, able to get in and keep Harris occupied while Adam got closer. Her train of thought was interrupted when the phone rang.

"Walsh."

"_Um, ma'am, I think you should come down to containment: we ran into a young woman who the local PD were trying to arrest_."

"And?"

"_Well, she was throwing them around like rag-dolls, and there were some big cops. We were able to take her down with a couple of hits from a taser, but she's recovered far quicker than she should have_."

"I'm on my way." Walsh sighed as she put the phone down and stood.

* * *

"Ok everyone, pay attention," Cortana stood suspended in the air over the portable holographic projector she had managed to get Xander to build, "because this guy is a serious threat." The image on Giles' TV changed to a rotating 3D representation of Adam. "This is what I have been able to extrapolate from what we saw and what the sensors in Xander's suit picked up: big, fast and dumb."

"That's not much." Buffy smiled. "I'd kind of expected more from you…"

"Yeah, well, I'm translating into _Valley Girl_ so you can keep up," Cortana snapped back. "I could go in-depth as to his augmentation, speed, acceleration, damage potential and the like, but I don't think that you would be able to keep up."

"Can we please concentrate?" Xander asked, annoyed by the near constant bickering between the Slayer and the A.I. "How do we kill it?"

"That may be harder than you think. The plasma grenade you hit him with was one of our most powerful weapons." Cortanna looked worried. "It is possible that we could come up with a spell or other magical weapon that can take him out, but that's not my department."

"I'll get started on that when I get home," Willow nodded, knowing that she was the Scooby's main magical researcher.

"I'll get in touch with my contacts within the Watchers Council, see if they can suggest anything," Giles nodded. "What of the rocket launcher?"

"You want the good new or the bad news?" Xander asked. "The good news is it is still in working order. The bad news is we have exactly one rocket. I've experimented with what Willy can get hold of on the black market, but nothing works. I say we keep it in reserve as a last resort."

"I agree." Buffy stood, ending the meeting.

* * *

Walsh stood in the doorway as a number of her agents tried to subdue the young brunette woman who they had found earlier in the day. Despite being half the size of the men she was up against, the woman was easily holding her own and, in fact, seemed to be enjoying herself.

"That is quite enough." Walsh drew a small pistol from her pocket and fired it into the air, ending the fight. "You have a name, young lady?"

"Faith." The brunet looked at her intently, ignoring the gun. "Who are you?"

"Me? I'm your new best friend. My people ran your fingerprints and we know that you are wanted by the Sunnydale police department in connection with a suspicious death last year."

"Would it help any if I said it was an accident?"

"To tell you the truth, I couldn't care less. I have a problem that I feel you might be able to help me with."

"What's in it for me?"

"I can erase your criminal record and pay you one million dollars, if you are willing to get your hands a little dirty."

"Keep talking." Faith smiled.

* * *

"You know, you don't have to try and stop Walsh." Cortana suggested as Xander drove home. "There are times that even a Spartan must consider the possibility of defeat."

"Relax. This isn't Thermopylae and I'm no King Leonidas." Xander blinked. "What the hell did I just say?"

"That was probably John talking. The legendary battle of Thermopylae and the history of the original Spartans was a key part to his training."

"I hate it when his memories pop up like that! I caught myself field stripping the LAG the other day, only remembering half way though that I shouldn't know how to do that."

"Live with it. John's training has saved your life before now."

* * *

"I know I've been in a coma for a while, but isn't that a suit of Spartan armor?" Faith asked, looking at the contents of Walsh's lab. "The funny thing is that I know a guy who's got one just like it…"

"Alexander Harris?" Walsh asked.

"I take it you've run into him, huh? Yeah, that's the guy. He's cute, and has stamina like you wouldn't believe!"

"You had sex with him?"

"Oh hell yeah! Would have done it again, but I think I scared him off a little. It got a bit rough…"

"Can we get back on topic?"

"Sorry, just reminiscing a little. So what is this thing? A Halloween costume?"

"It is a prototype based on what little we were able to learn during the short time we had Mr. Harris in our custody. It should fit you, and given what I've seen of your abilities, I think you should be able handle it."

"You managed to capture Xander? I bet B was a little upset about that…"

"B?"

"Buffy Summer, the Slayer… Short, blond, stuck-up."

"I know her. Are you saying she is also a Spartan?"

"Hell no! She's a Slayer, like me."

"A what?"

"Long story, tell you later. So what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to kill Mr. Harris for me."

* * *

"I still say it's a bad idea to go on patrol tonight," Cortana muttered as Xander adjusted the strap securing his rifle to his back. "We still don't have anything that can stop Adam."

"You're the one who's always going on about duty," Xander replied. "Anyway, we agreed that if we see Adam, we run. Simple as that."

"Still…" Cortana stopped when a red blip appeared on the edge of the motion tracker. "Look's like we're in business."

"Yeah, and it's not Adam." Xander drew his side arm and started to slowly advance. "Look at the speed it's moving at."

"Some kind of demon?"

"Can't say I've ever encountered anything that can move that fast."

"Well we're about to find out just what it is." Cortana sounded hesitant as they entered a small clearing. "It will be coming into view any moment…"

Xander stood motionless, looking at the figure that was standing on the other side of the clearing. They were the same height and dressed in an almost identical suit of _Mjolnir II_ Battle Armor. The only apparent difference was in the weapons the newcomer was carrying. Instead of a MA5B Assault Rifle, it held a FN P90 submachine gun in each hand.

"What the hell?" Xander blinked. "Um, hi!"

The stranger raised the weapons and opened fire.

**To Be Continued**…


	8. The Devil you know

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 8: The Devil you know**

Twin streams of 5.7mm bullets slammed into Xander, making his suit's shields flair brightly. He let the Master Chief's instincts and training take over as he dived to the side, bring his pistol up and firing off a pair rounds.

The two 12.7mm rounds hit his opponent in the middle of their armor's chest plate, denting it. The figure was knocked back slightly by the force of the impact but remained standing.

"That isn't real _Mjolnir_ armor," Cortana reported. "It's tough, but it's not up to the same standard as yours…" A second hail of bullets struck Xander, and his shields failed, a light on his HUD going red.

"Is that bad?" Xander asked.

"I was worried about this." Cortana sounded tense. "These suits were not designed for extended periods in the field without maintenance. The shield generators failed."

"It's never good news these days!" Xander rolled behind a bolder and holstered his pistol before pulling his assault rifle off his shoulder. "I want to take who ever this is alive. I'd bet good money that this is Walsh's work, and I want to know what she's up to!"

He raised his rifle over the boulder, pulling the butt in tight to his shoulder. The stranger in the fake armor was still standing in the open, reloading their weapons. Xander pulled a stun grenade from his belt and pulled the pin with his thumb.

"1...2…3…4…5…6…7!" He lobbed the grenade high into the air.

The movement caught his antagonist's eye, and they moved to bring their freshly loaded guns to bear just in time for the grenade to explode in their face. The explosive force was negligible, especially in such an open environment, but the blinding flash and loud report of the exposition was enough to temporarily stun anyone.

Xander leapt to his feet, the advanced systems in his helmet having filtered out the effects of the grenade. He charged his opponent, tackling them around the waist, knocking the both of them to the ground.

They rolled across the grass of the clearing, struggling for supremacy. Xander's opponent grabbed a fallen log and slammed him in the head with it, making the inside of his helmet ring like a bell.

"Stay focused!" Cortana insisted. "You can do this. Concentrate!"

"Yeah, sure, no problem!" Xander snarled through gritted teeth. His opponent was incredibly strong, much stronger than a normal human.

But Xander was a Spartan, and Spartans are not normal humans.

Xander pushed himself as hard as he could, using every last bit of his strength to push his suit's systems to the very limit. His HUD lit up with warning lights as the battle armor's systems started to strain under the load. He managed to pull his right arm free of his opponent's vice-like grip, and reaching back as far as he could, he slammed his armoured glove into their face with all the strength he could muster.

As strong as the fake suit was, there was no way it could withstand a blow that could punch through a tank. The visor shattered under the force of the blow as the entire helmet cracked in two. The force of the blow knocked out the fake Spartan and sent them flying across the clearing until they hit a tree. The sickening thud of impact told Xander that the rear armor had given way.

"Right then." Xander stood, drawing his side arm and make his way across the clearing on shaky feet. "Let's see just who this was…"

"I advice extreme caution." Cortana suggested, "The suit may have been rigged to explode if damaged…"

"Are you picking up anything that could be a self-destruct system?"

"No, but like I said, this suit is in dire need of an overhaul."

"I'll keep that in mind." Xander nodded as he reached the unconscious stranger. He lifted the remains of the helmet away and looked down in shock, "You have got to be joking…"

* * *

"You ok?" Buffy asked as she walked into Giles' living room, "You look like you've gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson!"

"I'll get over it." Xander held an ice pack to the bruised side of his face. "Spartans, like Slayers, heal quickly."

"And that brings us round to why we called you here." Giles stood in the middle of the room, blocking Buffy's view of the couch. "Xander was attacked by someone wearing armor style on his own. We believe Professor Walsh is responsible."

"Who on earth would be crazy enough to go one on one with a Spartan?" Buffy asked. "Apart from Adam."

"That is the interesting part…" Giles stepped to the side, letting Buffy see who was lying on the couch, still unconscious.

"Faith!" Buffy blinked, "How the hell…"

"I scanned the police computers. There's no record of her anywhere." Willow was still sitting at her laptop. "But the hospital records say that a Jane Doe apparently awoke from a coma and attacked two security guards before running off. I guess that's Faith."

"No offence Willow, but why were you checking the records?" Buffy asked. "Isn't that Cortana's job these days?"

"Faith did a lot of damage to my suit before I knocked her out." Xander collapsed into a chair, making it groan under the weight. "We've never been able to run a full maintenance schedule on it because the needed equipment just does not exist. It was only a matter of time before something gave."

"How much damage was done?" Giles asked.

"The shield generator is kaput. That fight with Adam put it under a lot of strain and in the end it just gave up." Xander rubbed his head. "I also burnt out two servos while going hand-to-hand with Buffy's evil twin there. To put it bluntly, the suit is out of commission for the foreseeable future."

"Any chance you can fix it?" Buffy asked. "It's the only thing we've got that can even slow Adam down at the moment."

"I honestly don't know." Xander shrugged. "I should be able to replace the servos. Cortana's already arranged for a pair of replacements to be manufactured by a company she found on the net, but the shield generator is leading edge 25th century technology. There is just no way it can be fixed."

"How important is it?" Willow asked. "Can you do without it?"

"Yes and no." Xander put the ice pack down. "The first generation of _Mjolnir_ armor was developed without the shield generator, and as such is resistant to damage. But only to a certain degree. It'll stop most bullets, but something like Adam… not a hope in hell."

"What about her?" Buffy looked at Faith. "Is she going to wake up?"

"I think so. She only has a concussion, but her Slayer healing should fix that." Giles nodded. "We have restraints and chains to keep her confined."

"Good." Xander nodded, "Because I want some answers…"

**To Be Continued…**


	9. Death Wish

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 9: Death Wish**

The pain woke Faith from her deep sleep. Her head felt like it was several sizes too small for her brain. She tentatively tried to move her hands up to rub her forehead, but found she was unable to move them from her side.

"You're awake then?" The voice was soft, but to Faith it felt like a jackhammer against her brain. "Headache?" Faith nodded as gently as she could. "Take these." A pair of pills was pressed against her lips, but she kept her mouth shut tight. "They're only painkillers," The voice tried to reassure her. "If I wanted you dead, you'd have never woken up." Faith opened her mouth obediently and accepted the pills, along with the glass of water that followed.

"Where am I?" she asked as soon as the thumping in her skull had died down to a dull roar. She didn't even want to try opening her eyes.

"Somewhere safe, for now," The voice explained. "What do you remember?"

"I remember…" Faith slowly opened her eyes. "Oh shit!"

"That's one way of putting it." Xander nodded as he sat down on a chair next to the rogue Slayer's bed. "Why'd you try and kill me?"

"I didn't."

"Oh, so it wasn't you firing semi-automatic weaponry at me last night? Guess I should just let you go and apologize for the inconvenience…"

"I didn't want to kill you… I want you to kill me."

"Why?"

"I had… strange dreams while I was in the hospital. I don't know how to explain them. It was like someone took me on a whistle stop tour of the history of the Slayer, from the very First to me. It scared me more than anything I've ever faced."

"Sounds uncomfortable."

"Yeah, it was. You ever read that book, what do you call it? Restaurant at the end of the Universe?"

"Yes, although I'm surprised that you've even heard of it."

"Yeah, well it was on Giles's coffee table once, and it looked more interesting than whatever it was Red was going on about at the time. Anyway, there's this bit in it where one of the guys gets put in this machine that shows him how insignificant he is compared to the rest of the universe."

"The Total Perspective Vortex?"

"Whatever. Anyway, that was what my dreams were like. It showed me how totally insignificant I was compared to all the Slayers who have ever lived. It was like nothing I've ever encountered…" Faith looked round. "Does Buffy know I'm awake?"

"She knows, but she's not here." Xander looked pained. "We had a falling out. I know who provided you with your suit and guns… I've been clashing with them for some time now, but Buffy thinks we can stop them without hurting anyone."

"You disagree?"

"Buffy doesn't like the idea of killing anyone… no offence. She doesn't see that it may be our only option."

* * *

"I can't believe that Xander wants to talk to Faith alone!" Buffy passed back and forth across Giles's living room. "What is he thinking?"

"That your personal history with Faith may impede your judgment?" the Watcher suggested "Xander can deal with Faith on his own, if needs be. And if he can't, I'm sure the Master Chief's training will take over."

* * *

"Professor, we've had an escape." One of the Initiative techs walked up to Walsh. "The Lycanthrope we captured on campus."

"Was it tagged?" Walsh asked absentmindedly.

"Yes."

"Have Team One recapture it and bring it back. I had hoped to have more time to study it, but I can see now that we will have to move to the autopsy."

* * *

Faith's eyes were wide with fear as she looked down the barrel of the gun jammed between her teeth. With her mobility hindered by the shackles holding her down, there was no way she'd be able to dislodge it.

"So," Xander smiled. "You want to die?"

Faith made a faint gurgling sound that could have been anything.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Xander pulled the gun away. "What was that?" he asked innocently.

"Are you crazy?"

"To tell the truth, I don't know. I grew up over a literal mouth to Hell, saw one of my best friends turn into a vampire, had my memories merged with those of a 25th Century cyborg, and then had a psychotic government agent set her Frankenstein monster on me because I wouldn't let her dissect me. What out of that could possibly make you question my mental state?"

"I guess you're the wrong guy to ask…"

"You think?" Xander pressed the gun up against the side of Faith head, "So… Do you want to die?"

"Yes." Faith closed her eyes.

* * *

"Are you sure he can handle her?" Buffy asked. "They didn't get on too well before."

"I'm sure Xander knows what he's doing," Tara looked at Willow. "Doesn't he?"

* * *

Faith took a deep breath as Xander pulled back the hammer on the pistol.

"Any last words?" he asked.

Faith shook her head.

"Ok." Xander nodded, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"**NO**!" Faith's eyes shot wide open as the hammer fell.

* * *

Oz stumbled through the streets, trapped somewhere between his human and Lycan forms by the drugs the Initiative had given him. He looked around, trying to work out where he was. He saw a train pass by two streets down and realised he had to be somewhere near Xander's warehouse.

Summoning what strength he had left, he started to run.

* * *

_  
Click!_

Faith felt her heart stop for a moment as the hammer fell on an empty chamber.

"Sorry about that." Xander tilted the gun back so the Slayer could see that the magazine was missing. "Giles said you might be a little spaced-out, so we came up with this 'Intervention' plan. Not even Buffy knows about it."

"You scared the shit out of me!" Faith gasped for air. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"We needed to know just what was going on in your head and figured you wouldn't just come out and tell us face-to-face."

"Sorry to interrupt, but I've detected someone approaching the perimeter." Cortanna appeared on the TV screen hanging from one wall. "I think it is Oz…"

"You think?" Xander looked round.

"It is hard to tell." Cortana's image was replaced by a feed from one of the many security cameras hidden around the warehouse. "The heat signature matches, but it looks like he's stuck between human and Lycan."

"Open the main door and let him in, then close it afterwards." Xander grabbed a dart gun from the wall and checked the dosage. "I want to keep this as a last resort."

"What about me?" Faith asked.

"Oh hell…" Xander sighed, undoing one of the restraints and giving her the key. "I can only deal with so much at one time."

"Thanks." Faith removed the rest of the shackles and stood, stretching her aching body. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Yeah. If he gets past me, take him down, but keep him alive." Xander primed the dart gun. "This has got Walsh written all over it…"

* * *

"Control, this is Capture One. Target is approaching a warehouse at 343 Sycamore Drive. Request instruction."

"_Confirmed Capture One: warehouse is registered as Halsey electronics, owner one Katherine Halsey, multiple doctorates._ _Hold perimeter and observe only. Special strike team on the way._"

"Orders received."

* * *

"I had expected more from you Xander." Walsh smiled slightly as she looked over the information coming in from the field team. "Using the name of the woman who founded the Spartan program makes this just too easy for me. Maybe I overestimated you." She unlocked the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out a secure phone. "Adam, I have a mission for you. Kill Alexander Harris."

**To Be Continued…**


	10. Declaration of War

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 10: Declaration of War**

Oz was almost human by the time he reached Xander's warehouse. He fell through the open doorway and lay unmoving on the floor.

"Was he supposed to do that?" Faith asked.

"Properly not." Xander ran over to where the young Lycan lay. "He's drugged up to the eyeballs on something."

"We have another problem." Cortana appeared on the TV screen. "I've just detected Initiative agents inside the outer perimeter… at least a dozen of them."

"Show me." Xander spun round, Oz instantly pushed to the back of his mind.

The image on the screen changed to show images taken from surveillance cameras. There were hidden five blokes in every direction. Black-clad figures carrying stun guns and semi-automatic weapons were keeping what they thought was a safe distance from the warehouse.

"We're blown!" Xander hissed. "Time to blow this joint. Cortana, go to emergency plan Delta: five minute countdown." He sprinted across the room to the back of the Warthog. "Faith, get Oz into the back seat."

"What are you doing?" The rogue Slayer asked as she lifted the unconscious werewolf into the ATV as instructed.

"The Initiative knows we're here but aren't attacking." Xander stared to grab equipment and loading it into the back of the Warthog. "That can only mean one thing… Adam's on the way."

"What are we going to do?" Faith asked.

"I don't know about you, but I don't plan on being here when he arrives." Xander grabbed his partly dismantled armor and quickly piled it up next to Oz. "Grab that!" He pointed at something on the table that looked like an oversized leaf blower.

"What is it?" Faith asked as she lifted the surprisingly heavy device.

"It's a Magnetic Accelerator Cannon," Cortana explained. "It fires gumball-sized nickel/iron rounds at hypersonic speeds. We had hoped to find a way to attach it to the back of the Warthog, but we don't have time."

"Anything comes through that door, knock 'em down!" Xander explained as he grabbed the Jackhammer rocket launcher and started to strip it down for transport.

"I'm not sure I could do that…" Faith sounded a little shaken at the idea.

"Trust me." Xander slipped a full magazine into his pistol. "It won't be human…"

* * *

Adam made his way through the sewers until he reached the railroad yard. Easily snapping the lock on the door leading to the storm drains, he stepped into the darkness, his bionic eye turning to night vision mode. 

He failed to notice the motion sensor on the wall next to the steam value.

* * *

"We're running out of time!" Cortana warned. "I've just picked Adam up approaching through the tunnels." 

"Why do we always seem to cut these things so damn fine?" Xander asked as he loaded the last box into the back of the Warthog and closed the rear hatch. "Faith, get in the passenger's seat. Cortana, cue the lights." The last order was given as he pulled a pair of heavy goggles out of the glove compartment and pulled them on.

* * *

Every electrical light within a six-block radius instantly switched itself on, blinding the Initiative agents watching the warehouse. 

The building's main door exploded outwards on pyrotechnic charges. There was a loud roar as Xander gunned the Warthog's engines and floored the accelerator, sending the vehicle out of the opening at breakneck speed. He turned the wheel at the last possible moment, skidding onto the main road. All the startled government agents could do was dive out of the way to avoid getting crushed under its wheels.

Engine roaring like a tornado, the Warthog sped off into the night.

Back in the warehouse, a computerized timer reached zero. An electrical impulse was sent to a series of detonators imbedded in industrial grade demolition charges placed at key points through the building. Primary charges blew secondary charges, weakening major structural supports.

Just as the shockwaves of the first explosions reached the Initiative agents who where cautiously approaching the building, a second timer reached zero and a dozen two kilo blocks of C4 plastic explosive detonated at once. They blasted the entire ground floor of the building to dust, sending sheets of flame out in every direction.

The upper two floors fell into the open void, shattering on impact.

* * *

Adam heard the first explosion and felt the shockwave under his feet. He braced himself to ride out the disturbance, and then heard a sound like a rushing freight train headed his way. 

He looked up just in time to see a wall of fire hit him full in the face.

* * *

"What the hell was that?" Faith asked as the skyline behind them lit up like the Fourth of July. 

"Let's just say I left a little something for our uninvited guests," Xander laughed, powering up a high-speed laptop computer built into the dashboard. "We good?"

"As well as can be expected, seeing as we just demolished our headquarters," Cortanna sounded upset. "The secondary location is up and running, but I suggest we get out of town and lay low for a few days."

"I can live with that, but you'd better phone the others and let them know we're still alive." Xander nodded, pulling off the goggles and turning on the headlights. "Where shall we go? We need somewhere that we can leave Oz 'til he's better."

"What about L.A.?" Faith asked. "Angel might be able to help."

"Fang-boy?" Xander raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Well it's not like we have any other options…"

* * *

Dr Walsh stood in the middle of the rubble that had, until recently, been Xander's home. The demolition charges had been expertly placed. The building had imploded, while doing almost no damage to the neighboring structures.

"I underestimated you Alexander." Walsh smiled to herself, "I will not make the same mistake twice…"

* * *

The Hyperion hotel stood against the pre-dawn sky like an art deco mountain. Xander looked up at it, wishing he had another option.

"Are we there?" Oz asked groggily, the drugs the Initiative scientists had given him still not fully washed out of his system.

"Yeah, we're there." Faith helped him out of the Warthog and up the steps. "Come on, you two."

"She's right you know," Cortana admitted. "We really don't have any other choice."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it…" Xander muttered as he grabbed the laptop and followed Faith up the steps.

* * *

Cordelia was just getting over the shock of Faith walking through the front doors with an apparently wasted Oz leaning on one shoulder, when Xander followed, a dark expression on his face.

"Um, Angel!" the startled young woman called out. "We have visitors…"

"What?" The vampire walked through the door connecting to his office. "Oh…"

"Live with it, death-boy. We just need a place for Faith and Oz to crash while I take care off some stuff." Xander dumped a duffle bag on the floor. "I ain't staying." He turned to leave.

"Buffy phoned," Angel called out. "She was worried that something had happened to you."

Xander stopped. "If she calls again, tell her to keep out of it. This isn't her fight."

"What're you going to do?" Faith asked. "You blew up your house."

"_Si vis pacem, para bellum._" Xander laughed. "If you want peace, prepare for war." Then he left the room quickly.

"Excuse me?" Cordelia blinked. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means that Xander's going to war," Angel sighed. "This is not good."

"See you guys later!" Faith ran out the door.

* * *

Xander was just starting the car when Faith jumped into the passenger seat and pulled on the seatbelt.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, resting his hands on the steering wheel. "Go back inside."

"No way." Faith shook her head. "You need someone to watch your back, and Walsh screwed me over as much as she did you."

Xander looked like he was going to say something, but instead started the car and pulled out into the traffic.

* * *

"Enter." Walsh didn't even look up from her paperwork when someone knocked at her office door.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but this just arrived at the University." Forest dropped a letter on his boss's desk. "Post mark is L.A."

"Interesting…" Walsh opened the envelope and read out what was rewritten on the paper inside. "'_If a warrior's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty_.' It's from Mr. Harris."

"But what does it mean?"

"It's poetry, Forest… the poetry of war…"

**To Be Continued…**


	11. Raising the stakes

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 11: Raising the stakes**

"This is your alternate base of operations?" Faith looked around the abandoned house. "Isn't this Angel's old place?"

"Yeah, you've got to love the irony." Xander grinned. "I've spent my free time rebuilding parts of it, mainly the basement. The entire place is shielded from satellite surveillance and the phone line is encrypted to UNSC standard."

"Anyone else know about this place?"

"No. Just you, Cortana and me. And that's the way I want to keep it. I don't want the others getting involved in this if I can avoid it. I'm not that happy that you're involved as it is."

"I can take care of myself, and that bitch Walsh has it coming to her if she thinks she can use me like she did."

"Yeah, well… Try not to let your anger get the better of you, ok?"

"And you're total calm and rational about all this?"

"I never said I was…"

* * *

"We've looked everywhere… He's not in L.A." Forrest stood at attention in front of Walsh's desk. "We checked all of our contacts, even a few we technically shouldn't have. There is a rumor that he dropped off the STH that escaped with someone there, but whoever they are, everyone's scared of them."

"He has obviously eliminated Faith." The doctor drummed her fingers on the desktop. "Mr. Harris is proving to be the most elusive prey."

"What should we do?"

"We wait. We know he thinks he can attack us, so the easiest way to catch him without drawing attention to our operation here is to let him make the first move."

"Are you sure that's wise?"

"Who is in charge here, solider?"

"You are."

"Good. You would do well to remember that…"

* * *

"This is your big plan? Just sit here and work out?" Faith looked more than a little confused.

"I've been letting myself go… neglecting my training." Xander strained as he did a set of one-handed chin-ups. "I need to be in peak condition if I'm going to take on Adam again."

"Xander, I've seen you train, remember? Your daily work out would put a Slayer to shame. Hell, I know I've never worked out so hard in my entire life. Well, apart from that one time when we…"

"I'd rather not talk about that." Xander switched arms without letting his feet touch the ground, his movements lightning fast. "I need to concentrate."

"You need to rest before you strain something!" Faith protested. "Even you can only push yourself so far."

"I have to agree." Cortana floated in the air above the portable projector. "Even Spartans have their limits."

"Need to push them." Xander hissed through clenched teeth.

"Faith, do something." Cortana rolled her eyes.

"Ok, but you may not like it…" The Slayer stood, but stopped moving when a high pitch whistling sound filled the air.

"INCOMING!" Xander yelled, knocking Faith to the ground just moments before the entire building shook as something hit the ground outside. There was a second and a third impact a few moments later, then silence.

"Well now." Faith smiled coyly. "Did the earth move for you too?"

"What?" Xander looked down and realized that he was lying on top of Faith. "Sorry." He scurried away to one side. "What the hell was that?"

"I detected at least three separate impacts ten meters from our location." Cortana reported, "I can't tell you anything more as my sensor net is still not fully set up."

"It was on my to do list." Xander grabbed his assault rifle and headed for the door.

The unkempt lawn looked like it had been set about with a flamethrower. Small fires were still burning around a trio of metal cylinders embedded in the ground. They were covered in scorched paint, but the letters 'UNMC' could still be seen stenciled onto the side of one.

"Either those are Orbital Drop supply pods, or FedEx has a new delivery option." Xander walked up to the nearest pod and kicked it.

The side fell open with a thud of metal on earth.

* * *

"Just tell me where they are."

"Buffy, I don't know where Xander or Faith are. And even if I did, I don't think he wants your help on this."

"You must know something."

"He told me to tell you to keep out of it, that it wasn't your fight. I think he wants to deal with this himself."

"How could he be so stupid?"

"He's trying to protect you. Right now this Walsh woman is only after him. He knows that none of you have it in you to face this 'Adam' alone."

"Angel, that's suicide."

"Like you taking on The Master?"

* * *

"'_Dear Mr. Harris. Hope you find the enclosed of use. We have high hopes for you in the future. Whistler_.'" Xander looked at the note attached to the inside of the drop-pod. "Who do we know that's named Whistler?"

"Search me." Faith shrugged, looking at the contents of the container, "What is this stuff anyway?"

"It looks like spare parts and repair equipment for my battle armor." Xander opened the other two crates. "This one has some UNMC weapons I've never seen before, while this one has a pair of Covenant Plasma Rifles and a…"

"What is it?" Faith asked, equally intrigued and worried.

"Now this should prove to be interesting." Xander held a metal bar in his hands. A sharp looking protrusion on either end jutted out just past his knuckles.

"What the hell is it?"

"This is a little something I'm going to save for the next time I see Adam." Xander was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Get on the phone to Dead Boy and see if he knows anyone named Whistler while I get this all inside."

* * *

"Angel says he doesn't know where Xander and Faith are, but he's sure they're back in Sunnydale." Buffy paced back and forth across Giles's living room. "I say I go lean on Willy until he either tells me where they are or breaks."

"That would most likely be useless." Giles sat cleaning his glasses. "Xander knows that Willy would sell him out in an instant to save his own neck, so he'd never tell him where he was. Xander has more than a decade of training, and almost twenty years of combat experience to fall back on. It may be second-hand knowledge, but it is still there."

"I'll try and contact Cortana online again." Willow pulled out her laptop and instantly disappeared into full hacker mode. "Then at least we'll know if they're okay."

"Even if you do get through to her, she is unlikely to tell you where they are. She has never been anything but completely loyal to Xander." Giles put his glasses back on. "Xander's a Spartan, or at least considers himself to be one. His first instinct is to protect others from danger. He has proven willing to do anything to fulfill what he considers his mission."

"But it could get him killed." Buffy protested.

"I've been doing some research into the whole Spartan thing." Tara pulled a pile of printout pages from her bag. "He may consider that a price worth paying."

* * *

"Angel says this Whistler guy is a Balance Demon who works for the Powers That Be." Faith walked into the workshop. "As far as Angel and Wesley know, we can trust him."

"Good." Xander was fiddling with his armor. "I should be able to get the shield generator up and running again."

"What about these guns?" Faith walked over to the table that been pressed into service as a makeshift armory. "Anything that could stop Adam?"

"I doubt it. The new Battle Rifle carries a larger round, but at the expense of a smaller magazine. The SMG's are nice, if somewhat inaccurate… a real 'spray and pray' job. The combat shotgun is going to be very useful against vamp's once I knock up some custom ammo. And I really want to see what a Plasma Rifle does to a vampire."

"You going to tell me what the paperweight does?"

"Like I said before… it's a surprise."

"What you doing tonight?"

"I got plans."

"What plans?"

"The type you don't want to know about."

"What kind of bullshit is that?" Faith crossed her arms. "I told you. We're in this together."

"And I told you that there are things I have to do that you don't want to get involved with." Xander stood, only to find Faith blocking his way. "I'm the only one who can do this."

"Just be careful, ok?" Faith looked genuinely concerned. "You're just about the only friend I have."

* * *

Walsh walked out to her car, mind running a mile a minute as she tried to mentally juggle the responsibilities of being a college professor and the head of a secret government agency. She fished her keys out of her pocket as she reached her car, and then dropped them when her cellphone went off.

"Hello?" She answered it without looking to see who it was.

"_Hello Professor._" Xander's voice came over loud and clear. "_How's California's answer to Frankenstein doing?_"

"Good, real good." Walsh looked round to see if anyone was close by. "Want to go grab a coffee so we can talk about it?"

"_I don't think so. Caffeine tends to make me a little jumpy. I think it affects the ORION program implants that you want so much to get a look at._"

"So why did you call? Finally seen the light and want to give in?"

"_No, I just wanted to say goodbye._" The line went dead.

"Shit!" Walsh looked round, checking all the shadows for any sign of the Spartan. Grabbing her keys, she jumped into her car and locked the doors. Still looking round, she put the keys in the ignition and turned them.

The explosion lifted the car a clear foot into the air and sent burning debris across the parking lot, starting several secondary fires.

* * *

Xander stood on the rooftop of a building across the street, the firelight reflecting off his emotionless face.

**To Be Continued…**


	12. State of change

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 12: State of change**

"BUFFY!" Willow ran into the dorm room, white as a sheet. "Professor Walsh is dead!"

"What?" The Slayer dropped her hairdryer on her foot and cursed under her breath. "What happened?"

"Her car exploded. The college is saying it was an accident, but the police have the entire parking lot cordoned off…"

"Xander…"

"He couldn't, could he?" Willow looked worried. "Not Xander…"

"Maybe not Xander but Master Chief John-117 could."

"What are we going to do?"

"I'm going to see if I can pick up any clues, while you get back online and try and get hold of Cortana. We need to know what really happened…"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Holy shit!" Faith sat bolt upright as the local news came on the small TV she had convinced Xander to find. "Did you do this?"

"Yes." Xander sat at his workbench, his armors shield generator disassembled in front of him. "With Walsh dead, it will force the Government to assign a new administrator to the Initiative. Hopefully it will be someone we can talk things through with."

"You hope they do. What if they assign someone who thinks just the same way as Walsh?"

"I've got several contingency plans worked out, mainly involving getting as far away from Sunnydale as we can, hopefully drawing the heat off the others."

"But the Initiative knows that B is a Slayer."

"What's that I hear in your voice? Worried about Buffy?"

"Look, I've changed. I'm not like I was. Having someone point a gun at your head and pull the trigger does that to a girl."

"I told you. It was a necessary evil."

"It didn't feel like that to me…"

"Damn it!" Xander slammed his fist into the metal worktop. "You think I wanted to do that? You think I wanted to point a gun at your head? Even an unloaded one? Every time I try and be the same old Xander, I have this voice in the back of my head telling me that I need to get out there and do what has to be done, no matter what. There are times when I'm still me, but then there are times when all I can hear is the Master Chief telling me that the Initiative is the enemy, and everyone there should die."

"My god." Faith stood and walked over to Xander. "Have you ever told anyone?"

"Cortana knows because of the nightmares I have about the Chief's old missions, but I've never told any of the others. Buffy tried to push me out once because she didn't think I could survive, as I was 'just human'. If I told her I had post-traumatic stress from something that never really happened, she'd push me out for sure."

"I find it hard to believe that B would do something like that. She even tried to pull me back from the edge…"

"Yes, but you're a Slayer. She understands what you can do, how important you are in the grand scheme of things. I'm just a kid who lucked into something out of a computer game for god's sake! She still sees me as her 'Xander shaped friend', even after all I've done since I became a Spartan."

"B can be a little narrow-minded at times. Strange I know, considering who she's dated, but it's just the way she is. And I don't think it's the Master Chief abilities or memories that make you what you are. You have a good heart and a very well defined sense of what's right and wrong. That's a very rare trait these days."

"You're just trying to make me feel better…" Xander lowered his head.

"No, I'm not." Faith took the young man's face in her hands and lifted it so they looked eye-to-eye. "Ok, so I didn't know you before you became a Spartan, but I've snuck a look at Giles' Watcher diaries a few times. I've read about the things you did before. You stood up to Angelus when B was in the hospital. You saved her life when she drowned. You've always been there, never backing down. You, Alexander Harris, are more of a hero than any Spartan."

"Thanks." Xander smiled slightly as he looked up at Faith.

They remained motionless for what felt like an eternity, just looking at each other. Xander was constantly aware of Faith's hands resting against his face, the softness of her skin compared to where he needed a shave.

"I need to finish this…" Xander tried to break contact, but Faith held him in place.

Not saying a word, she lowered her head to close the gap between them and kissed him deeply on the lips.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"**OK PEOPLE, LISTEN UP AND LISTEN GOOD!**" The tall Africa-American man in a USMC Colonels uniform shouted at the assembled Initiative staff, scientists as well as agents, "My name is Colonel Avery Johnson, and from now on, I am God! My beloved Marine Core has, in its infinite wisdom, assigned me to clean up this mess you've gotten yourself into. I don't care what kind of Keystone Cops outfit this was before I arrived. From now on, everything is by the book!" He looked at the Field Team. "Which one of you grunts is in charge?"

"That would be me, sir!" Forest stepped forward. "Lieutenant Forrest Gates, Sir!"

"And to think this had to happen to me…." Johnson shook his head as he chewed on the end of his cigar. "Ok, I want status reports from all department heads by 0800 tomorrow. Lieutenant Gates with me. The rest of you, **DISMISSED!**"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I managed to get through to Cortana." Willow looked up from her computer in the back of the Magic Box.

"And?" Buffy dropped the book she was reading and ran over to the table. "What did she say?"

"She said that yes, Xander planted the bomb that killed Professor Walsh. He did it in the hope that the government would assign someone more reasonable as head of the Initiative… someone they could talk things through with."

"They really think that a car bomb is the way to go? If the Initiative wasn't gunning for them before, they will be now."

"Cortana said that Xander spent days going over the pros and cons of planting the bomb, but decided that he needed to take that lead, or he'd be forever just reacting to what the Initiative did first. I kind of think that it was the Master Chief doing the thinking. I've been reading up on the Halo universe, and this is defiantly a Spartan thing to do."

"Anyway could you back-track Cortana? Find out where they are?"

"No. For one, Cortana is a 25th Century A.I. programmed to infiltrate enemy computer systems and turn them against their owners, and that is way out of my league. Secondly, she wasn't anywhere I could trace to. She can exist completely on the internet if she wants to, making it impossible to work out where she's based out of. She could be operating from a laptop connected to a phone line in Timbuktu, and I wouldn't know the difference."

"They have to be in or around Sunnydale, and somewhere they have room to hide all their stuff. We know that Xander still has the Warthog, and something that big is going to draw attention if left out in the street."

"What you going to do?"

"I'm going to go down to _Willy's_ and see if any of the regulars have seen Xander or Faith."

"You think they'll talk to you?"

"Hopefully. The bar is kind of neutral territory… A place everyone can be themselves as long as they don't try and eat the other patrons." Buffy grabbed her coat. "Keep looking for Cortana. We have to find them before the Initiative does."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Xander gasped for air when Faith finally broke away. He was a little surprised to find that she was now sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his shoulder. There was a hungry look in her eye, something that screamed pure predator.

"Maybe we should…" Xander stated to protest, but Faith pressed a finger against his lips to silence him, and then started to pull up her shirt.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Willow was nose deep in her computer and didn't even hear the shop door open.

"I'm sorry but we're…" Giles stopped mid-sentence when he saw the team of armed Initiative agents standing at the front of the shop. Their weapons were drawn, but aimed at the floor.

"Rupert Giles, I presume?" Colonel Johnson stepped forward. "I was wondering if you could tell me the whereabouts of Mr. Harris."

"I don't know." The former Watcher took off his glasses and started to clean the lenses. "And even if I did, I wouldn't tell the people who want to dissect him."

"Maggie Walsh was out of control. Her actions against Mr. Harris were not sanctioned by the government."

"I know I am not a citizen of this country, but I am fully aware of just what your government is capable of. There is nothing that you can say or do that would make me tell you anything."

"I can understand your loyalty to him, but he is a suspect in Professor Walsh's death, and as such, we need to talk with him." Johnson pulled a business card from his pocket and placed it on the table by the door. "If you should see him before we do, ask him to call me, anytime. All I want to do is talk."

"I'll tell him," Giles nodded, "if I see him."

Johnson nodded politely, before turning and leaving the shop. The Initiative agents backed out after him, keeping their eyes on Giles and Willow.

"An improvement on Professor Walsh." Giles walked over to the table and retrieved the card. "Willow, call Buffy and tell her what just happened."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What just happened?" Xander lay back on his bed, looking at the ceiling.

"I know you're a little less experienced than I am, but even you should be able to tell that we just had sex." Faith proper herself up on one elbow, holding the covers up to protect what little modesty she had. "I wanted it… I'm sure you wanted it… So what's the problem?"

"The problem is it complicates matters. I dated a girl called Anya for a while. Well, I call her a girl, but she was a former vengeance demon. The problem was she became too obsessed with Cortana's ability to play the stock market. It got to the point where she was more interested in the money she could make by being around me than any feelings or attraction she may have had for me as a person. Since then I've tried to avoid relationships."

"No wonder you're so tense all the time. You need to get laid more."

"And that's what this was?"

"No." Faith shook her head. "I like you Xander. I always have. You were the only one who tried to make me feel really welcome when I first came here. You never told anyone about what happened between us, when most guys your age would have been bragging about it to everyone in sight. Apart from Angel, you're the only person who's tried to help me."

"And that's reason enough to sleep with me?"

"Look at it this way. I'm not kicking you out this time."

"True." Xander looked at his watch. "But I do have to go. There's something I need to take care of."

"I'll be here when you get back." Faith smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Buffy was making her way back from Willy's bar when she decided to make a quick sweep of the nearest graveyard to make sure everything was as it should be. There was no sign of any newly risen vampires, so she headed for the exit.

"Buffy." Xander called from behind a tree.

"Xander!" The Slayer turned round to find herself face-to-face with a fully dressed Spartan. "Why did you kill Walsh?"

"It needed to be done. So does this." Xander raised his shotgun and pointed it at the startled Slayer. "I'm sorry."

There was an ear-splitting crack as he pulled the trigger.

**To Be Continued…**

**Agent-G:** Yes it was a little _Deus Ex Manchina_, but I couldn't think of a better way.

**Rankokunalpha1, me, Shawn, go-get-some, dogbertcarroll:** Thank you, I do try my best.

**Anime-Ronin:** I hope that answered your questions.


	13. Clear and Present Danger

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 13: Clear and Present Danger**

Buffy felt something strike her in the left shoulder with enough force to knock her flat on her back, driving the air from her lungs. She reached round with her right arm, expecting to find a bloody hole, but instead it just felt like she'd been hit by a truck.

"Don't worry… It's not a real bullet. It's what's known as a beanbag round… something the police use for riot control." Xander stood over her. "I needed to incapacitate you, not kill you."

"Why?" Buffy coughed, trying to get her breath back.

"I want you and the others to stay out of this. It isn't your fight, and I don't want any of you to get hurt."

"What about Faith? Is it her fight?"

"No, and I am doing my best to convince her to go to L.A. and sit it out, but she has her own ax to grind with the Initiative."

"Is that what you call blowing up Professor Walsh?"

"I acted within the boundary of my standing orders. I eliminated a hostile threat without damage to any civilians."

"You're beginning to sound more and more like the Master Chief…"

"I **AM** the Master Chief. I am a Spartan, for better or worse. I am the only one qualified to deal with this sort of problem."

"But you're not the Master Chief. You're just…"

"Just what? Your 'Xander-shaped friend'? That's the problem, Buffy. You only see me as I was, not as I am. The Initiative is, with the exception of Adam, human. You have a problem with killing people, even though there was no hope of reasoning with Professor Walsh. I didn't like killing her, but it was the only way I could see to deal with the situation."

"Xander." Buffy was able to pull herself to her feet. "You need help. You can't keep acting like this. The Initiative is already after you, and yes, killing Walsh may have been a necessity. But Giles received a visit by her replacement, a Marine Core colonel. He says he just want to talk to you. I think you should give him a call."

"Maybe." Xander seemed to relax a little, letting the barrel of his shotgun drop until it was pointing toward the floor. "I'll have to talk things over with Faith and Cortana. They're in this as much as I am."

"Then we should both go talk to them." Buffy nodded. "That's all… just talk."

"OK," Xander nodded after a few moments of silent contemplation. "The car's this way."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Sir, we've lost contact with everything below Level 3." Forrest stood at attention.

"What the hell is going on this time?" Colonel Johnson spat out the end of his cigar. "Okay, assemble a team, full weapons load, and find out what is going on down there."

"Sir, yes sir!"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith sat watching the TV. Cortana had hacked her way thought the encryption system used by satellite TV stations as a way of passing the time. Faith was channel hopping, trying to find something to watch when the A.I. interrupted her.

"I'm picking up a large number of intruders at the outer parameter." Cortana sounded tense. "Definitely non-human."

"Vampires?" Faith asked, standing and heading for the armory. "Maybe some of Angel's old gang?"

"Negative. I'm picking up the same sort of reading I got from Adam."

"Shit!" Faith grabbed the twin Plasma Rifles and activated them like Xander had shown her. She looked at her repaired armor and considered for a moment putting it back on. Xander had patched it up and used his knowledge of the MJOLNIR program to upgrade some of the systems. It was still a pale imitation of Xander's suit, but it was more than a match for any 21st century body armor.

A window shattered as a gas-grenade shot through it and hit the far wall, filling the room with teargas. Faith coughed slightly, shaking her head in an attempted to regain her equilibrium. Something moved in the expanding cloud of gas, and Faith raised both her weapons, pulling the triggers as hard as she could.

The human/demon/cyborg, formally an Initiative scientist, screamed as twin bolts of plasma energy struck him in the chest, burning through flesh and bone with ease. Faith continued to fire, trying to reach the side door and the garden beyond.

The door exploded outwards as she hit it, guns steaming as they hit the relatively cool night air. More of Adam's troops tried to grab her, but she continued firing, swapping between one gun at a time to avoid overheating them both at the same time. Every enemy she took down was instantly replaced by two more, circling the Slayer, trying to grab her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Whoa!" Buffy felt herself being pushed back into her seat as Xander suddenly floor the accelerator. Sending the supercharged Warthog forward at top speed, he took a corner on two wheels. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Cortana just sent out an emergency distress signal." Xander twisted the steering wheel hard to the left, fishtailing the rear wheels. "Adam's been busy. Some of his friends are attacking the Mansion."

"Can Faith handle them?"

"I hope so…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith felt her hands blister where they touched the now red-hot Plasma rifles, but she blocked out the pain and kept firing. One weapon bleeped to signify an empty charge, and she dropped it. Her skin was badly burned where it had been gripping the weapon.

One of the attackers tried to grab her from behind, only to be smashed in the face by the side of the remaining Plasma Rifle. It screamed in pain as the red-hot metal/ceramic composite burned its skin on contact. Faith kicked out, knocking the cyborg flat on it's back, but opening herself up for attack.

A long, evil looking knife caught her just below her ribs, the owner twisting it as they plunged it deeper. Faith screamed in pain and shock, dropping her weapon as she tried to get away. The cyborg was strong, too strong for the already weakened Slayer to fight off, and she was knocked to her knees by a sharp blow to her shoulders.

"Where is Alexander Harris?" the cyborg asked, giving the knife another sharp twist.

"Go to hell, Frankenstein," Faith spat through clenched teeth.

There was a sickening sound as the knife was pulled from the young woman's side, blood flowing freely from the open wound. The demon kicked her onto her stomach and lifted the knife high, fully intending to plunge it back down into the back of Faith's neck.

The nickel/iron round struck the demon in the back, blasting a hole straight through the creature. It looked down at the exit wound, somewhat surprised. It started to turn round, but the next blast took its head clean off. Xander stalked across the garden, firing the now completed Magnetic Accelerator Cannon from the hip, knocking the attacking cyborgs down like nine-pins. Buffy followed, holding the shotgun rather unhappily, hoping that she'd not have to use it.

Not that there was any need: Xander moved about the Mansion like the personification of death, killing anything and everything in his path. Flames from fires started by Faith spray-and-pray use of the plasma rifles reflected on his suit's visor, giving him an unworldly look.

"**XANDER!**" Buffy called out as she cradled the now unconscious Faith in her arms. Xander stood amid the flame like some imposing demon lord, the sharp angles and polished surfaces of his armor reflecting the light in strange ways. Buffy suddenly understood why the Covenant called the Master Chief _The Demon_.

Xander sprinted over to Buffy, his movements almost as fast and graceful as a Slayer, allowing him to cross the distance in the blink of an eye.

"She'll still breathing," Buffy tried her best to sound reassuring, "but she's lost a lot of blood."

Xander wordlessly pulled a small spray from his belt and shook it. Ripping Faith's top apart with one armored hand, he sprayed the wound with a strange clear liquid that solidified and turned white on contact with the skin.

"Emergency wound sealant, UNMC issue." He explained as he did his best to bandage the wound with strips of Faith jacket, "it should hold until you get her to the hospital."

"Where will you be?" Buffy asked, suddenly very worried about her friend.

"This was an assassination attempt. Adam wants me dead in revenge for the good doctor. I need to end this before anyone else gets hurt."

"You should call Colonel Johnson… see if he's willing to help."

"Maybe." Xander walked over to one of the dead cyborgs and ripped part of its head away until he found the CPU. He pushed it into a connector on the arm of his suit. "Time to earn your keep, Cortana."

"Not a problem," the A.I. sounded determined. "Encryption is bleeding edge… more advanced even than what they use at Area 51."

"Can you break it?" Buffy asked.

"Think who you're talking to," Cortana said smugly. "There you go. You're right. These are Adam's boys and girls… former Initiative scientist and agents."

"That's it." Xander looked up, his face unreadable behind his helmet's visor. "Buffy, get Faith to the hospital. Cortana, call the others and tell them to keep an eye out for any more hit squads."

"What are you going to do?" Buffy asked.

"Adam is now a Clear and Present Danger to everyone. I'm going to do what the Orion Program was created to do. I'm going to protect people. I'm going to kill Adam."

**To Be Continued…**

**Buffyrules:** yes, Avery is the first name of the legendary Sergeant Johnson from the Halo games/books. It's just a little in-joke I decided to add. The Colonel could probably be best described as Sergeant Johnson's parallel reality double, like vampire-Willow.  
**Bobboky:** I live to entertain and surprise.


	14. The Demon

_My beta-reader is still M.I.A. so I apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors._

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 14: The Demon**

Buffy sat in the back of the ambulance as it shot through traffic like a bullet from a gun, serine screaming like a banshee. One of the paramedics was working of Faith while the other was yelling into the radio while trying to avoid oncoming traffic.

The M6D Pistol Xander had shoved into her hand felt heavy in her jacket pocket, and she was uncomfortable carrying it. She knew fell well that Adam's cyborg solders were deadly, and not to be taken lightly, but she hated guns on general principle.

The ambulance skidded to a shop with a squeal of brakes. The driver jumped out as a Doctor opened the back doors and pulled the gurney out.

"What we got?" He asked, looking down at Faith's pale form.

"Caucasian female aged approximately 17/18, signal stab wound to the lower abdomen." The paramedic reported as he followed behind, "She's lost a lot of blood, and there's signs of internal bleeding."

"Ok, let's get her into trauma one." Te Doctor glanced at Buffy, "Who's she?"

"A friend: she's the one that called 911." The driver looked at the doctor, "You're knew here, aren't you?"

"Yes, why?"

"You want to last long in this town, you've got to learn not to ask too many questions…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Xander stood looking at his weaponry, his helmet tucked under one arm, his face almost blank.

"I've tried to contact Colonel Johnson, but there's no answer on the number he gave Giles." Cortana appeared on the holographic projector, "We have to assume that Adam is moving against the Initiative."

"Most likely." Xander lifted the SMG's and loaded a full magazine into each. He chambered the first round then ejected the magazine, replacing it with a fresh one, "See if you can hack their systems again; find out what's going on in there. But don't get caught: I'm going to need you with me on this one."

"I'll be careful." Cortana disappeared in a shower of pixels.

Xander slowly and methodically checked and loaded every weapon, making sure they had full magazines and a chambered round. He ignored the Snipers Rifle and Rocket launcher, knowing that they would be more of a hindrance than a help in the confined spaces of the Initiative. The MAG was also left to one side: there where only two rounds left in it's magazine, and Xander had no time to fabricate more.

Taking a set of straps converted for the job, Xander attached one SMG to each hip, just below his belt. His surviving grenades slipped into their assigned places on his belt as the shotgun was slung over one shoulder, followed closely by the Battle Rifle. Xander lifted his Assault Rifle, and then looked at the LAG from the back of the _Warthog_.

He considered taking it, but then changed his mind. Its impressive firepower came at the expense of alarming ammo usage: there was no way he could carry anywhere near enough ammo to make it an effective weapon.

The last thing he picked up we the 'paper weight', holding it in his hand. He considered activating it, but knew he would needs its entire power reserve for what he had in mind.

"I'm back." Cortana reappeared, "no luck I'm afraid: Adam's cut all the data pathways leading in and out of the Initiative."

"Then we do it the old fashioned way." Xander placed his hand on the holo-projector, and felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as Cortana uploaded himself into the amours internal circuitry, "You ready to rock and roll?"

"As ever!" The A.I. laughed as Xander attached his helmet.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith was already in surgery by the time the other Scobey's arrived, including a worried looking Riley.

"Any idea's what Xander's planning on doing?" He asked.

"Based on his memories and experiences as a Spartan, anything short of tactical nuclear war." Buffy sat on a bench, "I got the distinct impression that he's gotten very close to Faith, and he was always protective to start with."

"Indeed." Giles took off his glasses and started to clean them, a sure sign that he was worried about something, "We must hope that Cortana is able to exercise some influence over him."

"I don't know; she's a hardcore military A.I." Willow shrugged, "She'll be looking to bust some heads too…"

The doors at the end of the corridor opened, admitting a group of men that radiated Military, even if they were in civilian clothing.

"Guys…" Buffy stood, getting into a fighting stance.

"You can relax Miss Summers, we're not here to hurt anyone." The leader raised his hands, "Colonel Johnson sends his regards, and asked us to keep an eye on Miss Lehane."

"Who?" Tara blinked, confused.

"He means Faith." Buffy relaxes slightly, "How do you even know she's here?"

"We were brought by Colonel Johnson in to try and find Miss Lehane and Mr. Harris." The man explained, "Our orders were to keep an eye on the local hospitals and morgues. When we heard that someone matching Miss Lehane's appearance was being rushed here with a stab wound, we came as soon as we could."

"Are you going to arrest her?" Giles asked, worried what Buffy might do.

"Our orders are to keep her safe until Colonel Johnson arrives." The man shrugged, "The rest is up to him."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Colonel Johnson stood with his legs apart, holding his side arm with both hands as he fired round after round into the advancing demon, aiming for first its center of mass, then its head. He cringed slightly when the hammer fell on empty space, the creature still advancing.

The _thud-thud-thud_ of Xander's Battle Rifle filled the air as the Spartan appeared from out of the shadows, a weapon in either hand. The first demon fell back, dead or dieing, as another was gut down by a burst from Xander's Assault Rifle.

Xander checked his motion sensor to make sure the coast was clear before turning to look at Colonel Johnson: he had a momentary flash-back to the Master Chief's memories of the legendary Sergeant Johnson from the HALO universe.

It lasted for a second, but still gave him a shock.

"Mr. Harris, I presume?" Johnson looked at the Spartan, "I figured you be taller."

"People always do." Cortana laughed, "I take it you're Colonel Johnson?"

"I am." Johnson lowered his sidearm, "Maggie Walsh was out of control, and needed to be stopped. While I can't condone your actions, I understand your reasons."

"Thank you." Xander nodded, then handed over the Battle Rifle and all the spare ammo he had for it, "You'll need this: get your people out of here. We'll talk later, if we survive." He started to walk down the hallway; "I have an appointment with a man named Adam…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"I think you'd better have this." Buffy handed Riley the M6D Pistol Xander had given her and all the spare ammo, "I'd probably only shoot myself in the foot."

"Thanks, I think…" Riley looked at the weapon; knowing full well that the Marines Colonel Johnson had sent were eyeing him carefully, ready to respond if he did anything.

"I can't just sit around here like this." Buffy stood, "The rest of you wait here: I'm going to go help Xander."

"Buffy, if Faith couldn't handles these cyborgs, how can you?" Giles asked, not wanting to see the other Slayer in his care hospitalized.

"I know a way to even up the odds." Buffy headed for the exit, "I just hope Faith used deodorant…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Adam watched the monitors as Xander made his way through the Initiative, killing anything that got in his way, occasionally pausing to rescue trapped scientism and agents, sending them back the way he had come.

Despite everything that had happened, Adam couldn't help but respect the other cyborg: Xander was unflinching when it came to carrying out his mission. If only Professor Walsh had been able to recruit him into the program rather than turning him against it.

The door to lab 314 exploded inward, propelled across the room by a hastily set up shaped-charge. Smoke obscured the entrance, but something big and heavy stepped through, a flashlight scanning the room.

"Come out, com out, wherever you are…" Xander stepped out of the smoke, SMG in each hand, looking in every corner, "Come out from behind your curtain, wizard."

"I have been expecting you." Adam stepped from the shadows, "It is unfortunate that we must fight like this; we have much in common…"

"Oh for gods sake, please don't be one of those that tries to talk me to death!" Xander slouched slightly, "Don't you know that monologing is bad for your health?"

"As you wish." Adam's arm shifted, the barrel of a high-calibre machinegun poking through the skin on his wrist, "I've had upgrades." He fired a sustained burst at Xander, but the bullets bounced harmlessly off of him, his shield flaring brightly.

"Funny you should say that; so have I." Xander holstered his guns and pulled the paperweight from his belt. He squeezed the middle, activating the weapon. The magnetic field stabilized almost immediately, filling with glowing energy.

"Why did you send your boys to kill Faith?" Xander asked; plasma sword held high.

"Why did you kill my mother?" Adam looked at the new weapon, trying to come up with a defense.

"She was a psychotic bitch who wanted to carve me up like a Sunday roast."

"Miss Lehane betrayed the Initiative. That could not go unpunished."

"Neither can you trying to kill Faith!" Xander leapt forward, slashing down and across with the sword.

Adam ducked at the last possible moment, so the blade only seared his skin. He punched out, hitting Xander in the chest, knocking him back. Despite the cushioning effects of the force field and his suits gel-lined padding, Xander felt his carbide ceramic reinforced ribs crack under the blow.

Xander fought the darkness that threatened to envelop him, keeping a tight grip on the plasma sword as he swung it wildly. There was a buzz and the smell of burning flesh, followed by a roar of pain from Adam as the blade severed his left wrist, dropping the hand to the floor.

"I'll take you one piece at a time if I must!" Xander smiled, backing away a little to gain room to move.

Adam looked at his wrist, the wound closed by the high temperatures of the plasma blade, and then with snake-like reflexes, he punched out at Xander.

The inside of his helmet rang like a bell as Xander felt Adam's fist connect with enough force to knock through his shields. He felt his mind fogging, threatening to black out at the worst of all possible times.

Fighting the darkness that was encroaching on the outside of his vision, Xander blocked Adam's next blow, countering with a slash from his plasma sword that severed the other cyborgs right arm just below the elbow.

Adam fell to his knees, roaring with pain.

"As much as it pains me to say it, I can't condemn you: you are what that bitch Walsh made you." Xander raised his sword above his head.

Adam looked up, a strange look of peace in his eyes, "Thank you…"

Xander brought the sword through 180-degrees, decapitating his opponent.

Then the stress and injury caught up with him, and he collapsed onto the ground.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Colonel Johnson thought he was going mad when he saw a second Spartan walk through the trees and into the clearing outside the emergency exit tunnel. It stood slightly shorter than Xander, and was carrying a dangerous looking broadsword in one hand, a pump-action repeater-crossbow in the other.

"What the hell kind of town is this?" He asked, spitting the end of his last cigar out.

"A very strange one." Buffy removed the helmet of Faith's counterfeit amour, "Colonel Johnson, I presume?"

"I am. And I take it by the lack of serious injury and blond hair that you are Miss Summers?"

"Indeed." Buffy nodded at the tunnel, "Is Xander in there?"

"As far as I know he is, with what ever Maggie Walsh was working on." Johnson slipped a fresh magazine into the Battle Rifle, "Want to go take a look?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Cortana was close to panic: Xander's vitals were dropping to the critical levels, and he wasn't responding to her. His injuries were severe, beyond even his ability to withstand without immediate medical attention.

She tried calling for assistance, but the rock and metal surrounding the lab made it impossible to contact the outside world.

Xander's life signs slipped lower; his heartbeat and breathing stopped completely.

"Oh no you don't!" Cortana redirected all the suits power into the emergency medical systems, "I'm not letting you go that easily!"

A jolt ran through Xander's body as the capacitor discharged, trying to shock his heart back into life. The force was enough to make his armor shift. A second jolt a few seconds later had the same result, but still his life signs refused to return to normal.

"_Come on you son-of-a-bitch: you're not going to let something like this stop you?_" Cortana yelled, "_Fight, goddamn you! **FIGHT!**_"

A third, even larger jolt lifted Xander off the floor, electrical discharge playing across his armor like an aurora. Still there was no response.

"**_NO!_**" Cortana sent an even bigger shock through Xander, almost shorting out the entire suit, "_I'm not going to let you leave me alone like this, damn it! I need you!_"

**To Be Continued…**

_Note to all: word over at Twisting the Hellmouth is that Lehane is Faith canon surname in the new RPG guidebook._


	15. Loose Ends

_My Beta has reported in, but she's still taking her time on the backlog. Hope this keeps you entertained for now. Will replace when she gets back to me._

_That said, I really should thank her for putting up with my somewhat erratic writing style and tendency to dump more than one chapter on her at a time. I am perhaps the worst kind of writer to beta for: I never know what I'm going to work on next…_

_Thank you Sara (aka, Crazy Danae)_

**Zeppo 3: Slayer Evolved  
Part 15: Loose ends**

Summoning up all the power she could without taking herself off-line, Cortana sent one last jolt through Xander. The armor jumped a clear foot into the air, emergency valves opening to allow overheated gel to escape the confines. The shields flared brightly, and then failed as the energy was transferred into Xander's body.

_Beep…_

Electricity ached off the amour and grounded itself in anything it could find, blowing out every light in the room. Arcs of electricity placed across every metal surface, filling the room with an eerie blue glow.

_Beep…Beep…Beep…_

"Oh thank god…" Cortana relaxed slightly as Xander's heart started beating again. It was slow and weak, but it was better than nothing. She ran a quick diagnostic: the armor was badly damaged, but it was nothing that couldn't be fixed, given enough time and resources.

A pair of blue blips appeared on the edge of the motion trackers range.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"You seem to be taking everything in your stride." Buffy looked at Johnson, "I heard of one person who hightailed it to the Vatican when they learnt the truth about this town."

"I'm a combat veteran Miss Summers; it takes a lot to shock me." The Colonel lit a fresh cigar, "That said, I did feel a little ill after my first briefing about what went on in this town."

"Yeah, it's a real party town." Buffy pulled her helmet off, "How are you supposed to breath in this thing?" She looked at the respirator, "Gum? Faith spat gum in this thing?"

"She sounds like a real character."

"What's going to happen to her and Xander?" Buffy asked, gripping her sword tightly.

"That's something that will be decided well above my pay grade: there is going to have to be an inquest into what happened here. Walsh was out of control, but she shouldn't have been able to do all that she did without someone noticing. I'll do my best on their behalf, but there is the possibility that they will face charges."

"They could go to prison?"

"It is a possibility, but after everything I've seen here, I'm going to push for extenuating circumstances. It could easily be claimed that Mr. Harris was temporarily insane when he killed Maggie Walsh. There will probably be some sort of deal offered."

"I don't think Xander's going to be willing to let you dissect him…"

"I was thinking more along the lines of access to some of his technology, but that's for the higher-ups to decide."

"He's always said that it could be dangerous for the technology to enter main-stream civilization. There is the possibility that he'd destroy it to keep it safe. And if there's the possibility of prison, I'd put money on Xander, Faith and Cortana running."

"I would stop them, mainly because trying would be an easy way to get dead." Johnson stopped outside of Lab 314, "This appears to be the place…"

Buffy kicked the door open, but it stopped short, blocked by Xander's body.

"**XANDER!**" The Slayer put her back against the door and pushed as hard as she could. The sound of metal scraping against concrete filled the air as the _Mjolnir_ armor slowly moved.

"Thank god!" Cortana's voice came from the suits external speaker, "You need to get him to a hospital: his hearts already stopped once, and I can't guaranty how much longer I can keep him going."

"What in gods name is **THAT?**" Johnson pointed his gun at Adam's body, "Is it dead?"

"That is Adam." Buffy walked over to the Cyborg and pinned it to the ground with her sword, severing its spine, "And if he wasn't dead before, he is now."

"Good." Johnson looked at Xander, "We should probably get him to the infirmary at the base: we need somewhere that's not going to ask too many questions, and may be able to help him."

"If Buffy gets my mobile emitter, I should be able to help you: I have extensive files on Spartan physiology." Cortana sounded concerned, "How's Faith?"

"Stable; the doctor said she should be ok." Buffy lifted Xander, straining under the weight, "Ok, he's going on a diet after this!"

"I'll take everything else." Johnson collected the scattered weapons, "He did good, for a swabie…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Xander felt like the world was wrapped in pink cotton wall; his entire body was tingling, like he was covered with static electricity. The sensation was not entirely unpleasant.

"You going to sleep all day?" a voice asked from nearby.

"What?" Xander blinked, his vision slowly clearing, "Faith?"

"Yeah, it's me." The dark-haired Slayer smiled, "Kind of a turn around: last time it was you waking me…"

"Where are we?" Xander tried to move, but his body felt weak, distant.

"Relax, we're as safe as we can be, all things considered." Faith sat on the edge of the bed, dressed in what was unmistakable a hospital-issue dressing gown, "You were in pretty bad shape when Buffy and Colonel Johnson found you: Cortana said your heart even stopped at one point. They brought you here."

"Where is here?"

"The infirmary at the army base: the Colonel said it would be best to keep you away from civilian doctors, considering your rather unusual physiology…"

"The Army?" Xander blinked, "What's going to happen to us?"

"Truth be told, I don't know: Giles, Cortana and Colonel Johnson are trying to come up with a deal they can put to the higher ups to keep us out of prison. Riley's been let off: they decided that Walsh's orders were illegal, so he was well within his rights to disobey them."

"The military always looks after its own." Xander mused, "What about us, you and me?"

"I honestly don't know." Faith shrugged, "I have feelings for you, but I think it would be best until we know what's going to happen to us before we start anything."

"Probably a good idea." Buffy stood in the doorway, "I'm glad to see you're awake again."

"Yeah, I just hope someone got the license plate of the truck that hit me." Xander smiled, and then turned to Faith, "I need to have a word with Buffy in private."

"No problem; I'll go see if they've got any new comics in the day-room." Faith kissed Xander on the forehead, "I'll see you later." She walked to the door, pursing by Buffy, "God easy on him B; he's been through a lot."

"I know." Buffy nodded, even managing a slight smile for the other Slayer. She waited until the door closed before she walked over to the bed, "You did well."

"I got my ass kicked." Xander shook his head, "I owe you an apology: I've been an idiot and an asshole. I wanted to hurt you for trying to push me away, so I pushed back. Call it pride, call it machismo, call it what you will; I almost let Adam win because I wasn't willing to ask you for help."

"You really think I could have gone up against Adam?" Buffy sat in the chair Faith had vacated, "Cortana showed us the footage from your suits recorder: the pouch you took to the head would have taken mine clean off."

"Yeah, and I almost died because of it. Maybe if you and the others had been there I wouldn't have gotten myself into the position. But that's not what Spartan's are trained to do: we protect, not endanger…"

"Cortana told us about your nightmares."

"I figured she would, eventually." Xander shook his head, "I need help Buff, a lot of help."

"All you have to do is ask." Buffy took her friends hand and squeezed it, "I'll do you a deal; I'll keep you in line if you do the same with me."

"I can live with that." Xander nodded, a faint smile on his lips."

"Sorry to interrupt." Colonel Johnson stood in the doorway with Giles and Cortana's mobile emitter, "We've come up with an agreement that we think might work…"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Faith couldn't decide who was more uncomfortable, Xander or herself.

The suit-dress Joyce Summers had helped her pick out was extremely conservative, while a stylist provided by the hotel had done her hair.

Xander was dressed in a slightly modified Navy dress uniform that looked stretched over his body, and threatened to burst every time he moved. He was standing against one wall while a Secret Service Agent looked for a chair that wouldn't instantly collapse under his weight. His hair was cut short, military style, but he still looked out of place.

Colonel Johnson had tried to get him into a Marine uniform, but Cortana had pointed out that he was technical a Master Chief Petty Officer, all be it in the fictitious UNSC.

A Secret Service Agent appeared, pushing an over sized chair from the situation room. He looked at Xander, trying to work out what chance they'd have to stop him if he decided to burst through the nearby door.

The fact that Xander has set of the metal detectors on the way in, and they had not been aloud to inspect Cortana's mobile holographic emitter that was sitting in Colonel Johnson's briefcase had already set them on the defensive.

Xander did his best to look non-threatening as he sat down, the chair creaking under the weight.

He shot to his feet again when the door open, a young looking black man in an expensive looking suit and a harried look on his face all but running through. He stopped just before he left the outer office.

"You can go in now." He stopped just long enough pass on the message before sprinting off down the corridor on some important errand.

"Ok kids; game time." Colonel Johnson stood, straightening his own dress uninformed and retrieving his cap from the table before holding the door open for Faith, "Ladies first."

"Thanks." Faith smiled slightly, her nerves making her feel more than a little uneasy. Johnson and Xander followed, a Secret Service Agent brings up the rear, pushing Xander's chair ahead of him.

President Bartlet looked up over the top of his reading glasses as they came into the Oval Office, Colonel Johnson and Xander coming to attention while Faith did her best not to gawk at her surroundings.

"I'm glad you could make it." The President stood, walking round his desk to shake them all by the hand, "I'm sorry for the slight delay, but the job does keep me busy. Please, be seated."

Faith and Colonel Johnson sat down on one of the sofas while Xander eased himself back into his chair, trying to keep is from groaning too much.

"I would first like to make it perfectly clear that Professor Walsh's actions were in no way authorized by myself or anyone on my staff." The President started, "while I was aware of the Initiatives basic mission, I was under the misconception that it was purely a research operation." He looked round, "I think you can leave us now, Agent McGee."

"Sir, I must protest…" The Secret Service Agent started.

"You're protest in noted, but I insist." President Bartlet waited until the other man had left and closed the door before he turned back to his guests, "So, how is Ripper these days?"

"Excuse me Mr President?" Colonel Johnson blinked.

"Rupert Giles; how is he?" The President leaned back in his chair, "We met in collage; he was a few years below me. That and my mother knew his mother from their work in the Watchers Counsel."

"You're a Watcher?" Xander asked.

"One of the many tasks I perform these days." President Bartlet smiled, "Although I don't think I'm on the Counsel's Christmas card list; we have differing opinions on certain issues."

"That I can understand." Faith smiled, starting to relax slightly, "So, how does this affect the deal you offered us?"

"The deal is fine as it stands; complete immunity for any past transgressions wither of you have committed and a retainer salary, in exchange for which you will make yourselves available for any missions the Initiative needs you help with." The President explained, "Colonel Johnson will be in charge of reorganizing the Initiative, focusing on dealing with demon and supernatural threats to America and our allies. This will come with a promotion to Brigadier General, while Mr Harris will be given the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer in the Naval Reserve. I'm sure we can find some way to arrange you a similar position if you wish."

"I'd rather stay as I am, if that's ok." Faith nodded, "I'm not that good with authority figures…"

"So I have been told." President Bartlet took off his glasses, "This may seam strange, but would it be possible to meet Cortana?"

"Of course, Mr. President." Johnson opened up his briefcase and removed the holographic emitter, pleasing it on the table. A quick flick of a switch activated it, the A.I. physical persona appearing in a field of glowing dust.

"Mr. President." Cortana bowed slightly, "It is an honor to meet you."

"The honor is all mine." The President smiled, "By the power invested in my by the Office of President of the United States of America, I here by grant you full and irrevocable citizenship, with all the rights and privileges there in."

"I don't know what to say…" Cortana looked shocked, "Thank you, Mr. President, thank you."

"Let's just say I'm covering my bases." President Bartlet smiled, "I'd much rather have the three of you working for us than against us."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Two days all-expenses paid vacation at a Five Star hotel in our nations capital." Faith stood looking out the window, "And an unlimited credit limit, courtesy of our new best friend, the President."

"Your Tax-dollars at work." Xander smiled as he wrapped his arms around her, "Where do you want to go?"

"Well, I defiantly want to do some sightseeing and shopping, but there is one place I think we should go first."

"Where's that?"

"Back to bed." Faith smiled coyly, "I'm not sure what the future may hold, but I plan to make the next few days memorable…"

**The End**

_I have another story planed, but I want to get some of my Works In Progress' finished before I start it._


End file.
